Like the First Snowfall
by Firelily93
Summary: His love for her happened gradually, but his realization of it happened suddenly. Like the first snowfall signaling the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. It was surprising and at the same time a long time coming. Daryl and Beth.
1. Chapter 1

Daryl couldn't remember the last time he was really happy, but today had been an especially shitty one that was sure. Rick had called a meeting to explain why he had made the decision to make Carol leave. A horrible decision. He would've told Rick so if he had even bothered to ask, but he hadn't. The whole council thing was bullshit if Rick could just go off and make decisions like that without asking people.

Anyway Rick had apparently felt some remorse because he called a council meeting to explain the decision and the concerns he was having. Mostly it was a bunch of excuses, like always. He respected Rick, he really did, but sometimes the man was so mentally unstable that Daryl couldn't help but feel some sort of distaste towards him. The issue of the children had been raised. He himself had raised it. Daryl was worried about Mika and Lizzie. Carol was suppose to be their mom and now she was gone. They had no family. He remembered how it felt to have no one but his brother. Merle hadn't been the best, but he had been the only thing he had. The only person that had ever shown him an ounce of care. Now he had the whole prison group and that was the best thing that had ever happened to him. There was nothing better than having a family to protect and care for while they cared for you in equal measure.

He wasn't great with words. He wasn't one for affection, but he liked to think his actions showed that he was grateful. Actions were what really mattered anyway, especially since the world had fallen apart.

Apparently he should've been more clear about who he was talking about because everyone else immediately thought of the lessons Carol had been giving to the children not to the two girls that had no family. There was some question now about just what the children had learned from the woman. As if Carol was raising them up to go shoot people in the heads and burn their bodies. Carol was a whole lot of things but she wasn't raising any of those kids with malicious intent.

Rick had been clear.

"They need some sort of normalcy. The lessons are good for that. They should continue, but under supervision." Daryl had to agree with that call and then suddenly, as if he had volunteered all of the members had put it on his plate to watch over the very first lesson with the children's new instructor. An instructor that Rick trusted with all of his heart. Littlest Greene.

Seemed like Beth was starting to get more respect around the prison lately. She was suddenly brought up in conversations like she was actually relevant and not just some nameless kid. He supposed that was good, because Beth definitely wasn't a kid. She still held some girlish qualities but her figure, attitude, and disposition were beginning to scream woman.

Beth was alright he supposed. She was definitely the main caretaker of Lil Asskicker. She did a damn fine job too for a girl just becoming a woman. A lot of girls her age probably wouldn't have been able to handle the stress even in the best of environments. Beth had managed, more than managed. She was thriving. Beth walked around the prison giving a little bit of sunshine to everyone she saw. Beth was purity in a human. She was beautiful too. Daryl had noticed it more than he should've. He remembered Merle had made some pretty crude comments about her when he had been around. Just thinking about it made Daryl's blood boil.

Anyway the kids were filing in and sitting around. He made a point to stand off to the side, didn't want to get too mixed up with all this business. Kids made him uncomfortable, especially in times like these. They were just so damn pitiful at surviving that he tried to keep himself from caring too much. He had enough people to protect as it was without feeling some sort of moral obligation to the little ones.

Beth entered the room and sent him a smile. He didn't smile back, but he nodded in acknowledgement. He tried to ignore the way her sweet scent wafted towards him and lingered after she passed. She went right up to the front of the room, her pace quick. The girl hardly ever walked like that. She was walking like she had a purpose, like her presence meant something. He began to wonder if they should be giving her more rewarding things to do other than care for Judith.

"Hello," Her voice was like the breeze on a hot day, a melody that the ear was grateful to hear. Daryl felt himself relax. The children seemed more tense than him he realized. There was a noise at the door and he looked over to see Carl standing in the doorway of the room. He looked hesitant to enter but soon took a seat next to Lizzie under Beth's kind gaze.

He understood Carl's apprehension. If he was Carl's age he wouldn't have wanted to spend his time here. This was little kid's stuff, hell, even though he was supposedly supervising Daryl wished he could be anywhere but here.

"So I thought today we could learn about how the body works," She looked at the children, her eyes shone in excitement. "I think it'd be good for you." He thought about how Beth must have looked as a small child on the first day of school. He assumed that her eyes had probably been just as excited back then. She was always excited to learn and to teach. He envied the way she was so outwardly expressive, like she didn't need to hide herself away. At the same time he hoped she didn't lose that. It was what made Beth so great. She provided to the group a sense of belonging and hope and although it wasn't tangible he was beginning to understand the value of that.

"We're supposed to be learning about weapons." Daryl's head snapped to the thin girl. Lizzie looked defiant. He subconsciously squared his shoulders. This one was always a little off.

"Yeah we usually learn about walkers with Carol." The little boy spoke up. If he remembered right he had just recovered from being sick. Beth's lips pursed. He watched as her eyes turned bright to dull. Beth started talking to her boots. He noticed her hand clasped tightly around her wrist, around the bands that covered her scar. She was insecure and looked uncertain very suddenly. He couldn't help but study her.

"I know you all loved Carol, but I'm going to teach you now. That's the way it's gotta be for right now. Part of being in this world is learning to adjust and adapt to it." She cleared her throat. He relaxed slightly as her eyes snapped back up and she adjusted to the critical stares on her. "The thing is I am teaching you about walkers, but to know walkers you gotta know who you are first. You have to know what makes you different." Daryl watched as she slowly raised her head high.

He thought about a much younger looking Beth, a Beth that had sobbed over her mother's loss. A Beth that had believed that a walker was her mother still.

"Do any of you know what keeps us going? What our bodies do every day to keep us alive?"

"We gotta eat," Mika whispered sweetly, "To keep going that is." Beth's smile lit up the room.

"That's right we gotta eat. We have to have food and water. Why is that?" Her tone pushed for a deeper answer.

Carl cleared his throat. "So we don't starve to death?"

"Yes! So we don't die. See the body needs the nutrients in the food for a whole bunch of things like the heart, the brain." Beth paused. Daryl squinted his eyes. Where was she going with this.

"Does anybody know what the heart does?"

"Momma used to tell Lizzie and me that its where love comes from." Mika boldly suggested her face opening up in a smile to rival Beth's.

"It does something else too." She pushed gently.

"Pumps our blood, so that we can move around and live." Carl's voice was steady and detached. It reminded Daryl that he had to keep an eye on him still. Carl wasn't all right in the head either. None of the little ones seemed to be. Maybe Mika. Hopefully Judith would be alright under Beth's watchful gaze and kind words. Her mere presence made people feel like the world still had some wholesome goodness to it.

"Yes, it pumps our blood. The heart plays a huge role in keeping you alive, healthy, moving around. Do you know what happens when a heart stops beating?"

"You die." Lizzie whispered.

"Do any of you know how long it takes after a heart stops beating for the brain to die?" Daryl suddenly realized where this anatomy lesson was going. He could see the gears turning in the little one's heads and he held his breath hoping this would go over better than expected.

The question was met by silence. He watched as Beth straightened. A hard look came over her face. She was preparing herself for the reactions as well.

"You're brain won't come back after the heart has been stopped for more than ten minutes. It won't ever come back. It's dead." Her voice was as calm and melodic as ever.

"It's not dead." Lizzie was stiff in her seat. He could see her face turning hard and red. "You come back. You get to come back so it can't be dead."

"Does anyone know what the brain does?"

There was silence again and this time he had a hard time believing that none of the kids knew.

"The brain is everything you are. It's your hopes and your dreams. It holds every memory you've ever had and every thought you ever will have. After ten minutes without circulation the brain is dead. Forever." The thin girl grabbed her knife, her fingers tensing and unbending around the handle. Daryl reached for his own. Something was wrong here.

"When your brain dies you're gone. All you are is what is physically left, a body." Beth's voice didn't waver under the vengeful eyes of the girl at the table. She met it with ease. "There is a difference between a person like you and me and a walker. Such a big difference that they aren't even people anymore. They are something else entirely. "

Mika swallowed hard and raised her hand high in the air. Beth nodded, ever encouraging.

"If they're dead then how do they get up, how do they walk around?"

"The brain does more than keep you inside of it. It controls your body. It's like a command center, all wired to your muscles. Can I show you something Mika?" The gentle girl nodded. "Come bring your chair to the front of the room next to me and sit down." The little girl obliged and drug her chair quite clumsily towards Beth. The other children looked on.

He watched closely as Beth, clever girl, pulled out her knife and a handkerchief. She wrapped the fabric around the blade and kneeled next to the girl who looked quite frightened by the sight of the weapon. With a obviously well practiced hand Beth brought the handle of the blade down just above the little girl's knee and he watched just as the children watched as her leg flew up. Daryl couldn't help but smile. She was smart, the lesson was sure to get the kids thinking. He couldn't help but think that this probably should've been the first lesson. What good was it to teach the children how to kill something if they couldn't understand that what they were killing wasn't human?

He wondered if the events with Rick and Carl would've been different under Beth's helpful coaching.

"Did you tell your brain to do that Mika? Did you want to move your leg?"

There was some obvious thinking going on in the little girl's brain as she turned the question over and shook her head in the negative.

"You don't have to. That's an instinct. A primal drive to react and move. Doesn't mean you had anything to do with it. That's why walkers move still even though every bit of them is dead. There is something left there, something not human and definitely not the same as the person that was once there. It's an invader. A primal something that has caused them to move. Nothing more." Beth's voice was like honey but her words were jarring.

"YOU'RE A LIAR!" A knife flew from Lizzie's hand barely missing Beth's head. "Let see how you feel about it when you're the one going through it." Beth's eyes were the size of dinner plate and Daryl felt himself moving without even realizing it. He was more angry than he had been in a long time. He was quickly across the room, tugging the angry girl towards him. Holding her as she struggled in a futile attempt to escape his grip.

Daryl would be talking to Rick about this.

"Daryl!" His eyes finally focused and he saw Beth standing before him. Her slim hand softly cupping his upper arm in a way that would make him uncomfortable even in the best of situations. "Let her go. I've got her." She urged but he was having a hard time relaxing his muscles enough to give the girl over. And the touch on his arm burned him in a way that made him frustrated.

"Are you crazy? She's messed up. She just tried to kill you!" He noticed that his voice was shaking. He couldn't remember feeling this angry since he had heard Merle had been left for dead in Atlanta.

"I know."Her blue eyes looked up at him from underneath her lashes. "I've got her." He swallowed slowly. He knew he couldn't keep the girl in his arms forever. Something needed to be done though. He turned the tiny, dangerous girl in his arms and looked her straight in the eye. She met his cold gaze defiantly.

"Listen to me girl. You try to kill anyone, and I mean anyone, ever again you're going to be at the wrong end of my crossbow and You best believe there won't be any 'coming back' for you. You'll be gone. Right then and there." The girl just glared up at him. He could hear Mika sobbing in the background. Felt Carl come up next to him. The opposite side of Beth.

"Daryl," Beth whispered, a soft warning in all the chaos that was going on in his mind and in the room. He shrugged her hand off his arm and pushed Lizzie at her. He was going to find Rick right fucking now.

"For Christ's sake keep her away from anything sharp or any guns." He knew his voice was overly gruff but instead of flinching away from it Beth met it with confidence. She simply nodded and took the girl's hand firmly, all the while gesturing to Mika to take her other hand. He had seen enough. "Carl."

"I've got it. Don't worry." The boy assured him and with that Daryl Dixon was flying out of the room. It seemed that more would have to be done to keep these children sane and although he wanted no part in it he would die before the little ones started killing his family. Sometimes you just had to bite the bullet.


	2. Chapter 2

Somehow in his blind rage he hadn't managed to find Rick until Beth was already with him. Daryl slowed his pace and looked at the two. Their conversation was barely above a whisper, but her melodic voice cared, soft and calm. She looked on him standing in the door of Rick's cell and smiled. It lit up her face and he couldn't help but feel less tense about everything. He didn't understand how she could be so calm.

"Daryl," Rick nodded at him "Suppose you're here to talk to me about what Beth just told me."

"Where's the girl?" He couldn't leave it to chance. The people here where too trusting. They might have just let her go with a stern look.

"Carl is with her. I locked them both in my cell." Beth told him. Her back straightened, he realized she was expecting his challenge.

"You do realize she's dangerous right? She tried to kill you! And you're just putting her in time out?"His voice was shaking and he tried to rein in the emotions that were flooding him. He had always been a hot head, but being a hot head hadn't gotten him anywhere in life. His life hadn't taken up meaning until he had calmed down and started helping this group, his family.

"I don't think Beth is underestimating the threat. I think we need to remain calm and think about the best course of action here. We should have the council talk about it." Rick stated in an assured way that drove him absolutely insane.

"Fuck man, Half of the fucking council is in the room! You can make decisions about who you banish until it comes to a direct threat from a little girl and then you want to wait?!" He could feel the heat on him and his muscles were twitching with contained anger.

"You need to calm down." Rick was stern. He had his cop face on. Unfortunately Rick had become less scary to just about everyone after he lost it with Lori.

"You need to man up and make a decision."

"_I've _made a decision and its final." His eyes flicked towards the blonde. She stood defiantly, unafraid of his rage. He examined her, lean body, soft curves, the gentle curls in her blonde hair.

"You?"

"Me." Her tone was starting to become biting and while it was annoying for some reason Daryl was finding it invigorating. Not a lot of women had ever challenged him. Rick started to get antsy, Daryl could see him shifting in his stance. The situation was becoming too much for him. Wouldn't be long before he called in Hershel and Sasha.

"And what's that? Singing and babysitting her blood lust out of her?" Daryl was seething and it wasn't about Beth. It was about how achingly familiar this girl and her little sister seemed to be to Merle and him.

"She's going to be sleeping in my cell from now on. So is Mika. I think they would do well under some supervision and with some love and care."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." He declared. Rick made to make a comment but he was quickly cut off.

"I'm more than capable of handling this." She sounded so confident. He could hear his heart beat in his ears.

"You're more than capable of what? Caring for a infant and two little girls. You're just a child." The instant the words came out of his mouth he wished he could sweep them back in like one would do with some dirt on the front porch. Beth's eyes dropped and then when she met his gaze again she was glaring. He had never seen this look on her before.

"I think Daryl is right." Rick's voice was rough and he didn't make eye contact as he moved to sit on his bunk. "I think you would be run ragged trying to control Lizzie and care for Judith and Mika. You barely get enough time to yourself as it is."

"I'm not letting anything happen to Lizzie. She's confused and a little off balance but I'm not letting anyone do anything to her unless we try everything first." Beth's voice was strong and Daryl watched as her arms came to cross over her chest.

"I agree with you."

"You can't really agree with us both." She sniffed pointedly. "We're on different ends of the spectrum here."

"I think that's a good thing actually. I think we should move you into the larger administrative offices Beth. There's still a lock on the door and you can lock her in if need be, but Daryl is right. You can't do it all by yourself." Rick ran his hands through his hair and then met his eyes. "Daryl should help you with this. His different view point will help keep you vigilant and that way you can both be happy."

"I'm ain't going to be happy with some babysitting gig Rick."

"I'm trying to compromise with you two. I'm not saying babysit. I'm saying you could help her out at night. So everyone can get some peace of mind. You could go about your day and be in the room at night so that you could keep watch over the situation. Think of it like being on guard duty. You being there would help reassure me nothing bad was going to happen to Beth."

Daryl considered it. It wouldn't be the best thing but he supposed it was a fair compromise. Moving in to a room with three girls might wear on him fast though. Beth was alright to deal with and the recent spark in her was encouraging but the little girls were something else. He had never been much with kids. Never had wanted to and he didn't think too much of them. He figured he owed it to Carol though, giving those girls a chance. It was the least he could do.

"I'll do it." he agreed glumly. Beth's face lit up and she was in front of him before he knew it. Her hand was sitting on his arm again. She was trying to be sincere but her physical touch was enough to send him into a state of panic. He could barely concentrate on what she said.

"Thank you so much for this Daryl! I'll get everything on my end set up. You don't know how much I appreciate it." She practically skipped out of the room. She was impossibly optimistic for a girl that had just signed herself up to live with a tiny girl bent on hurting her. He couldn't help being the least bit envious. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so damn joyful about anything.

"So other than the disaster with the knife how's you think she did?" Rick asked. Daryl knew the man valued his opinion. If he told him Beth wasn't going to be good for the job she'd be taken off teaching duty for good.

"She did way better than I thought she would. She's got a knack with kids."

"She's just a people person. She's good with just about everyone as far as I've been able to see, but you're right the kids seem to respond to her real well. With one exception."

"That exception is dangerous. She's not right in her head Rick. I don't know how all this attention is going to fix that." He was more than a little apprehensive about having the Lizzie girl around anyone, especially Beth and baby Judith because they represented such hope for their group. If something were to happen to either of them Daryl knew about half the prison group would be overwhelmed with grief.

"We have to try Daryl." Rick coaxed and he knew the man was right. They had to try, but the sinking feeling in his gut said the price of failing would be extremely high. It may be a price none of them were prepared to pay.

"Not staying in a room full of girls forever." His growl apparently wasn't as intimidating as it once was because Rick just smiled and patted his shoulder on the way out of the cell.

The world had never been easy, especially for Daryl. In fact he was inclined to say that the world ended had been the best thing to ever happen to him. Before all of this happened he was given every reason to lose all his hope and all his faith. He had a mother that drank herself into a stupor so deep even a fire didn't wake her. He had a father who liked to beat him for kicks. He had a brother who almost never came home unless it was to cause trouble. He had no steady job and nothing stable in his life.

All of these things had made him especially weary of people. It hadn't been until he met Rick that he had begun changing and even still he liked the quiet. He liked separation. Separation meant nobody got too close, no one got to see all of him, and if no one saw all of him they couldn't hurt him. So he knew the next days, weeks, months, were going to be difficult. He didn't like shared space and sharing it with girls and a woman, it was going to test him.

When he went to check on the room Beth was moving them into later in the day he was surprised to see her decorating. Mika was sitting on the floor playing with a stuffed animal that Beth had probably asked for on a run in the recent past. Lizzie was sitting on a bed with Carl by her side. Her face was set in a scowl even though he could hear Carl talking to her about all manner of things. Beth was humming something that seemed familiar, but music felt lifetimes away. He cleared his throat and all the heads turned towards him.

"Daryl!" Beth's voice was overly happy. She approached him and turned back to the kids. "Everyone this is Daryl Dixon. I'm sure you've all seen him around especially after this morning. You should introduce yourselves."

Mika looked suddenly shy but smiled a tiny smile and waved her little hand at him. Lizzie didn't even look at him. Daryl was glad. He was still furious with her.

"Hey could you help me with something?" Beth lowered her tone. Her voice was suddenly intimate. He studied her waiting for her request. "Can you help me hand a few things on the walls? Mika has been drawing and I wanted to hang them with something and then I have this thing," Beth gestured to the days without incident sign that was propped up against a couch, "I need some nails to hang it, but obviously I don't have those sitting around."

He thought about telling her that it was stupid to hang anything and that it would be a waste of time and energy, but he figured it had been a long day and that arguing with her or anyone else could be put off for another day. Plus she had been through the most this morning, not him, he would have to keep reminding himself of that.

"I think I can find some tape around her for the drawings and the nails should be laying around C block somewhere. I'll ask Rick about it."

"Can you take Lizzie and Carl with you? Might do them both some good to be collecting things. Gives them a job, something to focus on."

Daryl wanted to groan but he settled on giving Beth an incredulous look. "Come on. I can't just keep her locked in her all day. She needs to feel like she's doing something just like any of the rest of us do."

"Fine. I'm leaving right now though, so she has to get her shit together right this second."

"Lizzie," Beth called. The girl turned to look at her and the expression on her face made it seem as though Beth's face was bringing her physical pain. "Come here. Please."

The slim girl rose from the bed and walked towards Beth with some sort of concerted effort that made Daryl want to roll his eyes.

"Daryl needs you to go with him. I'm trying to find some nails and some tape. Can you go and help him find them?" Beth was being downright sweet to the little girl and it made Daryl sick. The girl deserved to be yelled at, not coddled.

"Are we gonna see any walkers on the way?" Lizzie asked, her tone suggested some intent, to do what Daryl wasn't sure.

"I don't really know. I don't think you will."

"I want to go see them. At the fence. I always get to see them." Her voice was edged. She was worried. Worried about being separated from the undead corpses. Daryl was absolutely disgusted.

"Not today." He replied curtly. She stiffened at his response.

"You can't tell me what to do." She was on the verge of hysterics. She looked straight at Beth. "neither can you. You aren't Carol. Carol is the only person I have to listen to."

Daryl had heard enough.

"You want to know something? I know Carol. I know her damn well and I know she would be fucking ashamed of how you're acting. You don't talk to adults the way you're talking to them. You're lucky you even have anyone trying to care about you." He watched her flinch at his words and then he grabbed her arm roughly. "We're going to help Miss Beth and you're not going to argue anymore. Carl come on. You too." He called and with that he started to practically drag the girl down the hall.

"Be safe." Beth called after them. He knew she was saying it so Lizzie could her that she was worried about her. Beth was sweet but she was also trying to get through to the girl and if it meant being a tiny bit manipulative she had obviously decided that it was worth it.

"We will be," Carl called back. Daryl wondered how much Carl understood about the situation. He was surprised to say the least when the boy came right up on the other side of Lizzie and took her hand gently in his. Where Daryl was rough with her Carl was trying to be civil. Daryl dropped the girl's arm. He knew that Carl could handle it. Knew it because he was seeing how the boys right hand was gripping his knife where it hung from his waist. He was ready to strike if need be, but until then he was going to try to be as nice as possible. It was a strange combination, but Daryl found himself liking it.


	3. Chapter 3

"Ya know, you look more and more tired every day. Maybe you should rest more often." He turned towards her. She smiled at him. Smiled like the day hadn't been shitty. Smiled like everything was going to turn out just fine.

"You givin' me recommendations on my health? Thought that was your pa's job." Daryl looked back out on the yard. He liked having a little fresh air especially after days like this. He knew he was tired. He was more tired than he had been in a long time. "Where's the girl?"

"Locked her up in the office while we went to dinner. I'll bring her back some food in a little bit. You should worry about you more. Wouldn't do anyone any good if you died of exhaustion." She was closing the space between then. He didn't have to look at her to know it. She slide down the wall right next to him. Their shoulders brushed and he had to keep himself from pulling away at the contact.

"No one kills a Dixon-"

"But a Dixon." She completed a smile still wide on her face. He looked at her then. Really studied her. Her face was thinning out. She was getting older. Her features becoming more refined. She looked tired too. She just wasn't one to complain, Daryl could respect that. He wasn't much on complaining either.

"You gonna start naggin' at me like Carol?"

"Everybody needs someone around that cares about them Daryl." She nudged him gently with her elbow. "We all care about you." Her eyes were such a crystalline blue that he had a hard time believing the girl had been through so much. She looked so pure and untouched by the world still. He wondered if she had a secret.

He looked down saw the bands covering her wrist and reconsidered.

No, she had been just as altered by the world. She was just a pure person. A better person than most all of them and that was saying something. She seemed to brush of the dirt and the blood and the pain better than all of them. She was strong. She was just strong in a different way than he was.

"You come out to ask me when I'll be in?" He asked her. Her smile dropped. She didn't want to stick to business, but that was all he had time for anymore. Pleasantries were a waste of time. He didn't even know why she was bothering with him. He was probably the worst conversationalist it the whole camp and that meant even after Baby Judith who could barely gurgle out a few words at a time.

"I mean... Yeah I was just trying to make sure you were okay." She was seeking him out, trying to make eye contact with him. "You're okay right?"

"You're the one that almost died today Beth. How bout you tell me?"Daryl pulled away from her and stood from his place on the side of cell block C. He wanted to pace. He felt trapped by her stare and frustrated with her nonchalant attitude with the whole situation.

"Daryl," He voice was calm, steady, "I'm fine. I've been fine all day. You're the one that has been acting mad." She stood too. Stood but kept her back against the wall. Her stance was casual. He missed when she used to coward away from things, it had made him feel better. Now she just took it and gave it back. That was harder to deal with.

"I think it's stupid that you're not. Ain't you upset!? Aren't you angry? What wrong with you girl?" His voice was raising again and her posture was changing. She was going to face his challenge again. He could tell by the way her shoulders began to fall back, he feet began to spread.

"You don't get to talk to me like that." He resented that her voice was still collected. How could she stay so calm?

"I can talk to you how I damn well please."

"You need to shut up Daryl. I'm tired of you doing all this. It's all bullshit." She was glaring at him now. He was glad. He was tired of all her happiness and her calm. He loved seeing a fight in somebody and in her it was especially rare.

"What do you know? You're what? Seventeen? Eighteen? You don't know shit. Nothing. You're a little girl." She was still at that, but he could see the anger building in her. The outrage at his words.

"And you're just a dick? Is that what you want me to say? Do you want me to be mad at you Daryl? Would that make it easier?"

"Easier for me to do what?"

"Push everyone away because you're afraid." He watched as her face flushed. He watched as she ran her hand across her hair. Wisps of curls came out of her pony tail. She looked wild in that moment. He felt a sensation that he hadn't felt for a long time, seeing her standing there. She was wild, uninhibited, fired up and ready to stand up to him. He didn't like the feeling.

"You don't know anything about me."

"I know enough."

Daryl wanted to shake her. Wanted to tell her how naive she was. Wanted to yell at her until she understood. She needed to understand that this girl, she wasn't going to be saved. That not everybody could be happy or good or pure.

"I'll be back to babysit your charity case in a couple hours. Don't wait up." He was going out. He was going out to get away from all of them. He needed a little time to clear his head and obviously she wasn't going to give it to him.

When he entered the room a couple hours later everything was quiet and his mind was too. Both the little girls were sleeping on one cot. The baby was laying in her play pen. Beth was laying on the couch that was in the back of the room. She wasn't Sleep. She was holding her breath. He decided to ignore her. He didn't even know how to start a conversation with her right now.

He put his stuff in a pile by the door. Thinking better of it he scooted it over. If the little one tried to get out he'd hear her. Couldn't risk it. She was a vindictive one and he'd had plenty of experience with vindictive assholes. Merle had given him more experience with them than one could take in a lifetime even without the stuff his father had done to them.

"Daryl," Beth whispered, her voice was soft again. The suddenness of her melodic voice made him want to shiver but instead he tried to roll the tension out of his shoulders.

He turned to her. Could barely make out her shape in the dark light but he knew she was looking at him. Trusted that she could see him.

"I'm sorry." He wanted to get closer to her. He wanted to ask why she would apologize when he was the one that had been an asshole.

"Me too." He looked at the empty cot that was left over. "That for me?"

"Yeah, you had a hard day. You've earned it."

"I'd rather you take it Beth."

"I know."

He could see this wasn't going to go anywhere. He could imagine the determined set of her eyes. The purse of her lips. The way her hip would be jutting out if she was standing. No. He wasn't getting anywhere with her. Stubborn, that's what she was.

"Alright."

"Thank you for doing this for me Daryl."

He couldn't manage anything but a grunt in reply. He had done more than enough talking today. He was ready to lay down. He was ready for some rest. He could hear her moving. He shifted where he stood. He wished he could see her better right now. She was easy to read with some light.

Her hands were on him again. One on his arm and another placed lightly, tentatively, on his cheek. He tried to stay still. He was increasingly uncomfortable the longer she stayed silent. She seemed to be considering him or maybe considering her words.

"I know you don't like me all too much. I can see why. I can. You're a good man Daryl Dixon. And we all appreciate that. You don't know how much." He could barely make her out in the darkness. Her blonde hair picking up what little light there was. He waited. His voice was caught in his throat but he knew she'd move away soon. What could he say to her anyway? He was never good with words. Wouldn't ever be.

Her hands fell away and suddenly he could breathe again. Daryl shook himself off, but the warmth from her hands still lingered on his skin. Someday she was going to have to learn he didn't like people touching him. The only touching he had ever had was hard and painful and now when people touched him with such softness he couldn't help but be afraid. Softness couldn't stay that way. It wasn't how life worked. Softness was deceptive. Pain was what he knew. Better the devil you know.

He could hear her shifting her weight. She was nervous. He couldn't understand why. She was always the one initiating contact with the group. She should have been nervous about touching him.

Maybe he was making it awkward? He was never taught what to do in these situations. Whatever she seemed to be thinking, she seemed to think better of it.

"Good night Daryl."

"Night," He whispered as she crossed the room. Days like these warranted a full nights rest and he doubted he'd get it. Settling in to the cot he didn't even bother to pull the sheets up. Didn't want to worry about them getting in the way if he had to get up quick to restrain a blood thirsty little girl.

His eyes fell shut quickly. He had expected them to and he hadn't been let down.

The dreams that greeted him were unexpectedly empty as if there was a calm. Usually he was met with Merle's eyes, those undead eyes that signaled the end of any semblance of his brother. Usually he heard screams, voices that clouded his judgment. A whole lot of the time his dreams had copious amounts of blood. Blood pouring from everyone he cared about and no matter what he did he couldn't stop them from bleeding out in front of him.

Sometimes he dreamed of hiding under the bed, knowing that his father would find him anyway, knowing that there was going to be pain.

But that night his dreams were empty like a field. Empty was the same thing as peaceful for him lately. He didn't get peaceful all too often.


	4. Chapter 4

Daryl was watching closely the next day when Beth entered the cell block with Judith on her hip and Lizzie and Mika flanking her. He watched as Carl's head popped up to watch as well. Beth was humming a tune and smiled at everyone in the room. He looked down at his hands. Everything about the situations that touched Beth confused him.

"How's everything going with that?" Rick's voice startled him. It seemed like everyone around was looking more tired than normal lately and Rick was no exception. The scruff on his neck and cheeks distracted from the circles under his eyes, but it was there still. Sometimes the worst of their enemies were their own bodies.

"I've got it under control." He assured. Rick nodded thoughtfully considering the answer.

"Thank you," He replied and made an exit from the room. When he looked up Beth was sitting the girls next to Carl and walking off with Judith, probably to go get a bottle for her. He watched as Carl interacted with the two girls. Daryl wondered what the relationship there was. Carl seemed to be overly interested in them and not just after the incident yesterday either. It was hard to tell with kids if they were friends or if it was something deeper than that.

Lizzie was barely responding to Carl's prodding but that was better than her stubborn silence yesterday. He could see that he little sister was animatedly involved in the conversation.

"Hey stranger," He jumped a little in his seat and looked behind him to find Beth, Judith still perched on her hip and bottle grasped in her hand. "Never thought I'd see the day where I'd sneak up on you. You're letting yourself slip." She was only teasing. Beth never said an unkind word about anyone. He grunted his agreement.

"Been a long week."

"Can I sit?" She asked and he shrugged. She was probably going to no matter what he said. She apparently couldn't get enough talking time in with him lately. "Did you sleep well?"

"Good as anyone can." It was a lie. He hadn't slept better in a long time. He met her eyes and could see the answer wasn't good enough for her. She was always trying to take care of everyone. He wondered when she had time for herself. He needed to make sure she took the bed tonight. The couch was much too small even for her and he was sure there were loose springs that dug into her back. She needed a nice rest.

"How's all that this morning?" He asked gesturing with a nod at the little girls that sat with Carl. If he didn't know any better he's say Lizzie was trying to hide a smile.

"Better than I'd hoped. I think a whole lot of the issue is puberty. She's starting to have hormones and all that. You know how crazy Carl got for awhile. I think there's a good chance I can set her straight with careful supervision." Her eyes were lighting. He watched as she tried to adjust Judith into a position she could feed her more easily. The Little Asskicker was fussy. Didn't want to take the food.

"Give her 'ere" He grumbled trying to avoid Beth's joyful expression. She handed her over with a proficiency that only a mother had. That's what Beth really was lately, a mother. She had been mothering Judith for a long time. In Daryl's opinion the little girl should be spending more time with her dad. She was starting to walk and talk and he thought it was a shame that Rick was missing those precious moments, but he wasn't a father.

Honestly he probably wouldn't have ever been a good one so there was no loss there, but he did think if he had been a dad to a little kid he would have made time for them.

"You're good with her." Her voice was quiet and steady with that way she had. She brought some sort of calmness to everyone even if he wished he wasn't affected by it. "You ever have any kids?"

"Do I look like the type?"

"You look just as well suited as anyone else." She told him with certainty. He swallowed his nervousness with this line of questioning.

"Well, no, I wasn't. Never got around to all the family stuff." He meant for it to come out casual, but even he could hear a tinge of bitterness in his voice. He hadn't expected those feelings to be there. He hadn't ever really wanted a family. He had just wanted to follow Merle around.

"That's a shame." Beth sighed and he couldn't help but look as she leaned back in her seat and fidgeted. "I always thought I'd grow up, have a husband, a couple of kids. I know that's not in store for me now. I have to make the most of what I have. We all do."

"Could have all that. Glenn and Maggie seem to be doing it alright." He was surprised he even suggested it. He wasn't one to believe in all that ever and especially not now, but something about her doubting it made him sad.

"Yeah, Glenn and Maggie are special though. We can't expect that type of thing anymore. I'll be lucky to find anyone to fall in love with, not to mention get married to, but in reality one of us would probably die before it got to that." She took a pause. "I'm sorry. I'm being morbid. You're right. There's a chance it could happen."

He couldn't look at her properly without feeling something in the pit of his stomach, something strong and unpleasant. He put it up to being worried about the Lizzie situation but he knew it had something to do with that sad look in her eyes that she had let slip before she had plastered that smile all over her face again. He didn't quite know what to make of it, but he didn't like it.

He thought about that night that he had come to tell her that Zach had died. Thought about how she had hugged him and he had said he was tired of losing people. Beth wasn't all happiness and rainbows and positivity. She had that darkness inside of her too. She was sad, worried, and scared, just like all of them.

"I can take her back now, if you have somewhere to be. I know you're busy." Beth told him kindly and he took it as a welcome opportunity to leave and clear his mind from thoughts of babies, and family, and Beth.

"Let me know if she gives you any trouble." He instructed as he handed Judith back. Beth laughed. Her laughter was rare these days, everyone's was. He shivered at the sound.

"I think I can handle Jude, Daryl."

"You know who I meant." He felt his cheeks flush. He was always so awkward around women. Beth was making him feel especially strange lately.

"Yeah, I know who you meant. Now go on. I'll be fine." He didn't understand how she could be so sure. He looked over at Carl and knew that at least Beth wouldn't be the only one watching those girls during the day. That was comforting at the very least. Carl was still fighting his own demons but he was in a place where he could be trusted with this. He knew the boy wouldn't want anyone to kill Beth.

In fact, he had often suspected that Carl was interested in her. For whatever reasons either the boy had let the crush fade or he had found something else to be interested in. He watched as Lizzie and Mika threw their heads back in giggles. Something or somebody? Maybe both.

"See you tonight."

He walked out of C block and into the daylight. He needed to do his rounds, check the fences. Maybe if the buildup wasn't too bad he could make it out to go hunting. That way everyone could eat something more than the vegetables Rick had been growing. There were two women from Woodbury that were pregnant, one was nursing. They needed the protein. He would just be happy for the opportunity to go do something.

"Hey! Daryl!" He squinted into the sun and saw Glenn running towards him.

"What 'cha want?" He called back.

Glenn slowed as he reached him. "Just heard about the whole thing with Beth and that kid, Lizzie?"

"What about it." He didn't want to talk to Beth's brother in law about things he should just be asking Beth about.

"She always likes to put on a brave face. Maggie's worried about her, ya know?" So Glenn was trying to get information for Maggie so that she could stop her worrying. The man was wrapped around that woman's finger. Though Maggie was one tough girl. Sometimes she was enough to intimidate him.

"If you want to know about it ask Beth." He grumbled.

"Figured you could tell me if she was alright. I don't want to upset her by bringing it up."

"She's not some little girl. She can handle the damn question." He was starting to get angry. Glenn was underestimating Beth. Beth was strong, she deserved a little respect.

"Look, I'm not saying she can't. I'm just asking because I value your opinion." Glenn amended. His face was as open and honest as it usually was. Daryl was still tense though and he wished the man would just leave him be. He seemed to be talking to people more and more lately and it was grinding on his nerves.

"I think she's about as fine as any of us are." He answered tightly and Glenn nodded in understanding.

"Maggie worries a lot about her. She thinks she's been coddled and doesn't know how to deal with this stuff. I think it has a lot to do with what happened back at the farm." Glenn was always a talker. Daryl wasn't ever much of one so he just nodded. His thoughts drifted back to that time on the farm. The first time he had really seen her she was standing behind her daddy asking if she could help mend Daryl's arrow wound.

Herschel had sent her away and Daryl had been glad. He didn't need so many people in the room looking at him. A few days later he had heard Andrea and Lori arguing about the girl slashing her wrist open and he had openly scoffed. Girls like that didn't live. They didn't know hardship like he did.

His opinion had changed over time of course. He started to better understand everyone in the group, including her. Beth hadn't found herself yet when she was back on the farm and now she had. Now she had purpose and goals. She even had dreams which most of them had given up on long ago.

"She's strong. Maggie shouldn't underestimate her."

"I agree with you, but you know how it goes with siblings." Glenn wasn't really thinking about how Daryl had lost his brother when he had said it. He was just throwing it out there casually, but it made Daryl stiffen.

"Yeah," He replied and then he walked away. He needed to go make himself busy, needed a distraction from all the things he was thinking about.

Daryl didn't really miss Merle if he was honest. He missed what Merle was suppose to be and perhaps what he could have been, if the situation had been better. Maybe if they hadn't been handed such shitty cards then Merle wouldn't have been such an asshole. He had done the right thing in the end though and that's what matters.

There were a whole lot of walkers stacked up on the fend. He could see a few people moving between the fences stabbing where they could. Looked like they could use a little help and he was more than willing to do it. Killing walkers was therapeutic. It made him think less about what was happening with his life, with the world, and more about the task at hand. He would bring as many of these things to their knees as he could.


	5. Chapter 5

When he came back in for the night he was met by the soft glow of candle light. Mika was asleep on the cot near the door and Judith was nowhere to be seen. It was what was on the couch that really caught his interest. Beth was sitting legs tucked under her and Lizzie's head was on her lap. He watched as her small hands worked their way through the girl's hair. Her touches were light, careful. Her eyes raised from the child's head to meet his eyes.

Daryl set down his stuff in front of the door and nodded towards the little girl in her lap.

"You got that all worked out?" He asked softly, mindful of the sleeping girls.

"She's coming along. That's all that matters." He nodded at her statement, she really was something. Her patience could touch even the coldest of hearts. he found himself wishing Merle had spent more time around her.

"She reminds me of my brother." He shared. Her lips cracked a small smile.

"Tell me about him." She whispered and he couldn't help but study her. Her small smile, her bright blue eyes, and golden wild hair.

"He was always leading me around. Telling me what to do like he had it all figured out. For awhile I thought he did. He always seemed to be getting us into more trouble than we needed. He was a little out of his mind. He cared about me though and that's what mattered." He paused. "He cared about drugs a little bit more than me for a long time. Wasn't always there and sometimes it was on purpose and sometimes it was because he was locked up."

"Me and Merle, we could've used a girl like you around while we were growing up. It's good these two have you."

"You think I can really fix her?" She asked and he realized she was quite serious. She wanted to know if she was making the right call. His eyes flickered between her face and the little one's in her lap. Lizzie had tear strains on her cheeks. Beth had circles around her eyes. The candle light put emphasis on the sharpness of her cheek bones. She would die trying to save them all from themselves. He would die before he let that happen.

"I think you could fix anyone Beth." As soon as he said it he felt embarrassed and confused as to why he said it out loud. Her smile spread and her hands stilled in the little girl's hair.

"Thank you, it means a lot to hear that." She told him openly and Daryl could feel heat crawling up his neck. He was going to start blushing like a boy. Beth made him feel so strange.

"You should take the cot." He told her gruffly, changing the course of their conversation. She seemed to be slightly displeased by this.

"No, the couch is too small for you." She was holding back a frown. Her brow was creased. "You need rest Daryl. Everyone needs you."

"People need you too." The conviction in his voice caused a new rush of heat to flow through him. He was certain he was blushing now. "I'll be fine Beth. Want me to move her for you?" He looked at Lizzie whose face was much less twisted in her sleep. She looked normal there on Beth's lap. Beth nodded and he approached her stooping to pick up the girl and gently place her on the cot across the room. He was relieved when neither girl stirred.

"Where's Judith?" He asked more to fill the silence than out of actual worry. He knew Beth wouldn't just leave her in the wrong hands.

"I asked Rick if he wouldn't mind taking her over night. He does that for me sometimes, so that I won't get too worn out." Her voice was getting closer to him but he stayed still and looked at the sleeping girls in front of him. It was much safer looking at them than Beth.

It wasn't just a touch on his arm this time. No, she first touched him with the tips of her fingers and slowly, so slowly, she dragged them across the skin of his bicep before placing the palm of her hand down hot against him. Her grip was light but firm. He felt the pulse jumping in his throat. He felt an overwhelming need to look at her but something about that scared him.

"Why do you avoid people Daryl Dixon? They just want to take care of you." She was closer than he originally thought her breath was warm against the back of his shoulder.

"Beth," His voice was raspy and he stopped to clear his throat although he was sure it wouldn't matter. Her presence always made him feel like he was choking on something. "I know you like touching people," He brought his hand up to gently pry hers away from him. He tried to be sensitive. He didn't want to hurt her. "But I don't like that. I don't want that. You need to respect that."

He turned to face her then, because it seemed like the right thing to do. He expected her to look a little sad, maybe a little disappointed. Instead when he took in her face she was smiling and there was a determined little twinkle in her eye that gave him a bad feeling.

"Okay, if you say so."

"I mean it," His voice was shaking and the intimidating quality that he so needed it to have right now was lacking. She turned to go back to the couch. He grabbed her arm at that. His grip was probably hurting her. She felt so small in his hand. So fragile. Her head whipped around to look at him. "Beth I meant what I said. You need to take the cot." She considered him and where earlier, just a moment ago, he had seen confidence in her now he saw confusion.

He was confusing her. He was confusing himself.

"You take the cot. I'm going to get some air." He took her in. Memorized the way she looked right there in front of him and then he turned and left, only pausing briefly to pick up his things. He was halfway down the hall when he heard the door open again. He didn't stop. He didn't need her in his ear saying all manner of truthful and open things.

"Daryl Dixon!"

He didn't stop he had to get away from here and her and everything.

"Daryl Dixon, I'm not afraid of screaming until the whole damn prison wakes up!" He stopped in his tracks and felt anger bubbling up in him. He wants to be alone. Alone with himself so he can push all these things out. Push all these feelings out.

"What is your problem? You can't go from mean to nice to cold all the time without explanation. You can't do that to people." She was pleading with him. He knew pleading when he heard it. She was a strong girl, but something was making her want him to be something for her. He didn't know what but he could feel she wanted something more than casual conversations. Perhaps a friendship? He was hardly friends with anyone.

Why didn't anyone understand he didn't know how to deal with this kind of stuff. Everyone else left him be, but she was coming back for more. There was nothing he could offer her.

"Go back," He shrugged his shoulders at her. He knew she wouldn't do it but he had to try. "Got stuff you wouldn't understand Beth."

"Why wouldn't I understand? I care about what's going on with you. With Carol gone you'll need someone to talk to."

"I don't need someone prying into my life." He growled at her and he watched as she took an involuntary step backwards.

"Everyone needs someone." She insisted. He was tired of this. These people, everyone at the prison, they were seeming to get the impression that he was some tame puppy. He wasn't. He wasn't like them. His life had only been better and better as the world started falling apart, while theirs had gotten worse. Daryl had always had to fight and for them it was some new experience.

He wasn't the same as them, couldn't she see that?

"Daryl," She whispered into the still air around them. There was her voice again. Her voice penetrating his mind and his soul. His feet were moving without him wanting them to. He was so incredibly frustrated with everything. So incredibly frustrated.

Daryl realized suddenly where he was. He had Beth pinned against the wall, her wrists pinned to her side by his hands. Her face was flushed, probably scared the shit out of her by being so rough. Maybe it would be enough to wake her up. She was soft against him, warm. He tried to concentrate on her eyes instead of the way her body felt. She was blinking up at him slowly.

"You don't have any idea what I need. Get that through your head." He watched as she blinked slowly. Watched as her eyes dropped from his. Watched as her blush turned a violent red. Then her blue eyes looked up at his again. She licked her lips.

Daryl was ashamed as his thoughts started to take a new turn.

"Then tell me." Her voice was husky, rough. He hadn't ever heard it that way before and it was addicting. He felt her body relax into his. "Daryl... tell me. Tell me what you need." Her voice was seductive. A sound that one could imagine a woman making as she was taking you into her hand. He could get lost here in the hallway with her. He could but he knew she couldn't. He pushed away from her.

"Go to bed Beth. I'll be back later." She didn't protest this time. She just stayed up against the wall like she wasn't sure what to do with herself. He wasn't sure what he should be doing with himself either.

He took a couple laps around the fence, checking for breaches and killing the occasional walker with his hunting knife as they stumbled up to the fence. This he could deal with. The strange feelings and the conversations he couldn't. He didn't understand Beth, or most people for that matter, but especially women. He hadn't had much experience with women until now. Hadn't really been around them or been friends with them. He didn't know how to interpret their constant mood changes and sensitivity.

Merle had been the source of most of what he knew about women in general and Merle liked talking about the vaguer points of sex. The feelings and the relationships and anything explicit was left far out of their conversations. Daryl hadn't ever really minded until Beth started looking at him with all that bottled up 'something' in her eyes.

He was beyond happy when he returned to the room and Beth was actually asleep in the cot. He couldn't take any more of her, not that night at least.


	6. Chapter 6

"Have you seen Beth around?" Daryl turned to look at the boy. Carl squinted up at him his hair falling messily over his eyes.

"Do I look like her keeper?"

"Just thought maybe you'd know." Carl's tone wasn't apologetic like other people's would have been. Carl wasn't afraid of much and he definitely wasn't afraid of him anymore. He didn't like that at all.

"I don't." Daryl's eyes focused on the girl behind Carl now. Lizzie stood in the sun casually regarding the conversation with a carelessness that suggested disinterest. Carl made a point to lean in conspiratorially towards Daryl. He humored the boy and craned his neck to hear his low tone.

"I wanted to know if I could take Lizzie out to the fence. To kill walkers. Maybe if she sees them real close she'll start thinking about them different?" Daryl regarded the girl. She was scrawny, but he knew how hateful she could be. Maybe it would be good for her, but he would rather someone be watching just in case.

"Ain't going alone." Daryl told him. "Come on then." Carl's face broke out into a smile. He turned and caught Lizzie's hand in his whispering something in her ear that made her smile tightly. Daryl saw the way her arm tensed at the touch before slowly relaxing into Carl. He wondered exactly what had messed her up.

"Daryl, do you have an extra knife? Lizzie doesn't have one anymore." Carl was asking politely, but Daryl couldn't help but be a little frustrated with the question.

"She earns a knife back. Ain't something she just gets." He replied and Carl immediately shut up about it.

There were a nice amount of walkers on the fence, manageable but still overwhelming for a kid that viewed them as living things. He looked over at Lizzie whose face was twisted into a grimace as a walker reached for her through the fence. He took his time pulling a cigarette out and lighting it. In that time a couple more walkers had come to their section pressing up against the first who was still reaching out for Lizzie. He watched as its cheeks started to split and tear against the chain link.

"You're hurting them. If you're going to kill them at least do it nicely." The girl whispered and Carl looked up sheepishly at Daryl. Carl knew better than to push him in these situations.

"It look like it's hurting to you?"

"If my face was getting cut up by chain link I know it would hurt." She glared up at him. There was that vindictive little girl again. Something had to be done about that.

"Yeah, and you'd probably be trying to get off the fence to go get it all cleaned up. It doesn't care. All it cares about is eating you." He was being cold on purpose. He needed to know how far it went. How polluted by the confusing state of the world was she? He could only find out by pushing her.

"He's just hungry. We could feed him." She was getting bold now. The way her legs were beginning to spread and the way her eyes were turning cold reminded him of Beth. This girl was a fighter. She was just on the wrong side of the fight.

"We could. Why don't you go and volunteer?" He was going to break her. She didn't need all the patience. She needed someone to push her.

Lizzie's face dropped.

"What?"

"You wanna feed them? They want human flesh. I don't see anyone else around here volunteering." He kept his voice deceptively calm.

"We could feed them something else." Daryl almost laughed. Her voice had changed from hard to soft in a matter of moments.

"Nah, you know what, let's do it right now." He grabbed her arm and started to drag her towards the gates. The girl was struggling to pull away from him and Carl was looking increasingly uncomfortable. "They'll recognize you as their friend. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about."

"They're sick!" She yelled at him but he continued on their way.

"Maybe you can help cure them girl." He was pushing her. He needed her to say something, to give him something to work with. She was sobbing hysterically beside him as they quickly made it up to the gate. "Carl open it."

"Daryl, I don't think-"

"Open it!"

"NO!" Lizzie cried out. "No, Don't!"

Daryl leaned down to meet her eyes. Tears were flowing down her face and snot was pouring from her nose. She was scared. Scared just like he had been as a child.

"Give me a reason why." He demanded. Her lips tightened into a frown.

"Please." She was shaking. Her body was vibrating with fear.

"Give me a reason Lizzie." He let his voice take a gentler tone. He was going to coax it out of her. There was a pause where all he could hear was her rapid breathing and constant sniffing.

"Because... they aren't like us." She whispered. He watched as her eyes closed tightly and she shook her head. Daryl grabbed her hand and turned it face up. He handed her his hunting knife. It was awkward in her little hand but she tightened her grip on it. Daryl brought her close to the nearest walker on the fence line.

He kneeled then, next to her still out stretched hand and brought the knife up to his throat. He looked up and saw the girl didn't look pleased. She looked frightened.

"Make your choice." He challenged. Her sad eyes flashed between the walker behind him and the knife at his neck. He only focused on her eyes. He gave her his complete attention. Not only was he sure he could get out of this if she tried to kill him instead of the walker, he was also sure she wasn't going to kill him.

He watched the small and deliberate way she moved her body then. She removed the knife from his throat and watched up to the fence. She was hyperventilating as she watched the walker. Her fingers tightened over the handle of his knife. She pressed herself up as high as she could get on her tip toes and stabbed the walker with a shuddery breath. When it fell with a groan she turned to Daryl. She let the knife drop onto the grass. Carl was at her side in an instant, hugging her close. He picked up the knife and placed it back on his belt.

That was it. That was all he needed. He wasn't going to push her anymore and the way Carl was regarding him told him he wouldn't be allowed to anyway.

"Let's go find Beth." Daryl said to them both. Carl nodded and steered Lizzie up to the prison again.

When they found her she was sitting outside in the courtyard with Mika next to her. She was laughing about something and Mika was drawing on a piece of paper. Judith was grasping Beth's hands, standing on her own.

He saw the moment she recognized the situation. Her back straightened and she grabbed Judith up and placed her on her hip. Patting Mika on the head she headed to meet them halfway. Her free arm gesturing for Lizzie to come to her. The little girl flew into Beth's outstretched arm and grasped her tightly around the middle.

"What happened?" Her voice was gentle but her eyes were focused on Daryl. She was all business. She didn't want anyone hurting these children.

"Daryl made her decide between killing him or killing a walker or being walker food." Carl stated anger clear in his voice. Beth's mouth tightened into a thin line.

"Carl, I'd really appreciate it if you took Lizzie and Mika back to the room. Could you do that for me?" Beth's voice had none of the sweetness that it usually had. She was glaring at him.

Carl pried Lizzie from Beth's side and started inside with Mika following closely.

"What the hell Daryl!" She demanded her free arm gesturing wildly. Judith was getting jostled, but he knew better than to reach out and demand the child.

"You know all the trouble we've been having with someone feeding the walkers rats?" He asked her. She paused and considered him before nodding. "It's been her. She told me we should be feeding them. So that they will be less hungry."

"So you decide to scare her? Daryl she's really sensitive right now."

"You're underestimating what she can handle." He didn't like the look she was giving him. He wasn't going to be scolded by her like some child.

"Daryl, I think you're overestimating her. I'm the one with her most of the day. I'm pretty sure before all of this she used to be on medication. Now she doesn't have that. We have to be careful with how we handle the situation."

"The world isn't going to handle her gently Beth. She needs to learn how to deal with it." Her face fell slightly when he spoke those words.

"We need to try to bring her some normalcy."

"Normal ain't the same anymore. Things have changed." He wasn't going to admit fault in this. All of the people here needed to realize that the world had changed. They couldn't act like normal was the same as before, they were going to have to build a new normal.

Beth seemed to consider that. Her eyes looking down towards the fences. in a little bit, after lunch, the crew would come out and start in on the walkers at the fences. Then it wouldn't look so bad, but for now he knew that the fences looked like they were swarmed.

"I know." She sighed at last. She looked at him and smiled a small smile. "Easy isn't exactly an option anymore. I just wish it was." He wished it was too. It would be so much simpler if life was still the way it was before. Maybe then all these kids wouldn't have to be so messed up and maybe the adults here wouldn't have such darkness inside of them.

The apocalypse had been good for Daryl, but people like Beth deserved a little bit more than surviving. If he was going to keep them safe a good way to make sure no one from the inside was threatening them and that's what the girl was doing by being soft on the walkers.

"Maybe next time you can come find me before teaching he a hard lesson?" Beth asked gently trying to untangle Judith's sticky hands from her hair. The baby held on tighter, giggling at Beth's attempts.

Daryl walked closer to her and slapped Beth's hand away to make his own attempt. Judith looked up at him and he took the opportunity to gently brush the strains away from her immediate reach. He only fumbled slightly when Beth's eyes met his. She really was beautiful. She had grown up right before his eyes.

"Thank you," Her voice made him think that maybe he hadn't done something as simple as saving a few strands of her hair from a baby's hand. She always had a way of thanking him that made it seem like he had performed some grand task.

"It's nothing," Daryl replied before moving away. "I'll be around tonight. Going on a run today if I can get some people together." He really had no reason to tell her anything about it. He felt compelled to for some reason. It wasn't as if she would miss his presence for a few hours. He was gone for most of the day a majority of times anyway.

"Be safe," Her smile was wide. He couldn't help but crack a smile as well.


	7. Chapter 7

He was stalling. He knew that. It was just that nights in this room with Beth were strange and embarrassing and awkward. He didn't know if he could handle it after the run today which had been physically tiring. So there he was, hand hovering over the door knob. He knew she was awake. He could see candle light flickering in the frosted glass.

He opened the door and there she was sitting in the candle light with a book on her lap. The girls lay in bed. They looked to be deep asleep. Beth's head popped up and her eyes searched his. He quietly shut the door behind him. She stood silently. She was studying him. He didn't know what she was looking for but it must have been something important. She was in his space quicker than he could tell her no. Her hand was on his cheek, her eyes still searching his.

"I'm fine." He told her, but it didn't seem to satisfy her. Her face was tight. She was still searching his face. That's when he realized she wasn't looking for any wounds, at least not the physical kind. She was looking for new wounds to his soul. He caught her hand in his. "I'm fine Beth."

He expected her to relax, but she did more than that. She fell into him. Her body was limp against his and if he didn't know any better he'd say she was the one that had been lifting heavy things and fighting walkers all day.

"Beth," He didn't know what to do. He held her. Her face was buried in his chest. He had never felt so self conscious about being dirty before. Beth always seemed so clean. He probably stank to high hell but there she was, like she didn't notice. She was too nice to people.

"I was just really worried about you." She sighed and he felt his body begin to release the tension of the day. He lifted his hand to rub her back gently. "What'd you guys go out for anyway?"

"Rick wants to start fortifying the fence. Since the walkers broke it down he's been upset and he thought maybe we could build it up so its stronger." Daryl explained. He caught movement out of the corner of his eye and saw Lizzie's head ducking back towards to pillow. They had an eavesdropper. "Went out and found a lot of cement and cinder blocks. Got as much as we could fit in the truck. Tomorrow we'll probably have to go back out for more. it's a lot of ground to cover"

"You should let someone else do the run tomorrow. You're tired." He knew she was just saying it because she had worried for him, but Daryl knew he had to go back out. He couldn't live with himself if someone died while he wasn't around to stop it.

"I have to."

"I know." She answered and her blonde head pulled away from his chest. She looked up at him with bright blue eyes. "Lizzie was asking about you after you left."

"What about?" His hand stilled on her back and he slowly pulled away from her. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"She was asking if you'd ever been a dad before." Beth laughed softly. "I told her no and she said she thought you'd make a good one." Daryl was surprised. the same girl that had been crying from his goading this morning had later in the afternoon praised him? It didn't seem right. He had been rough with her. He hadn't been gentle. He wondered for a moment about what that said about Lizzie and what it said about him.

"She just misses her own pa I'm sure." He was uneasy with this line of conversation. He knew Beth could tell.

"She told me that before Carol left she had accidently called her mom and Carol had been upset at her for it. She said it had hurt her feelings." Beth was quiet for a moment. "I always thought Carol would be happy to have another chance to be a mom. Instead she was scared about it. I would give anything to be a mom to someone."

"Might as well be Judith's mom." He didn't see the reason she wouldn't be able to recognize that. She smiled sadly and looked over to the playpen where Judith slept. She was constantly with the baby, playing with her, cleaning her, feeding her. What made someone a mom other than that?

"I'm Judith's baby sitter. Nothing more."

"You take care of her more than Rick does." He knew he was prodding her towards something that made her upset and yet he couldn't stop but explore that.

"Rick doesn't see that though. Rick doesn't see how important Judith is to me. To him all I am is a convenient place to leave the baby while he farms and deals with other things. " He listened as her voice turned hollow just thinking about it. Beth really was under valued around the group. She should have been given more credit for her abilities whether they be physical or not.

"Don't make you any less important. Doesn't matter how he sees it." She turned and smiled at him. It didn't reach her eyes.

"Thank you," She told him. "I appreciate that." He suddenly felt as though something was caught in his throat. She was beautiful. He wished he knew where those feelings where coming from lately. He wished that he had more experience with this sort of thing.

He merely shrugged. He wasn't ever one to take praise well.

"You should get some sleep. On the cot. You did a lot more than me today." Her voice was back to being light. He wanted to argue but something about the way she was standing there made him think better of it. Arguing with Beth only ever seemed to make the situation more confusing.

He didn't argue. He saw the way she accepted that and moved back over to the couch to start blowing out the candles. He watched as the lines of her body slowly disappeared into the dark as the last flame was smothered.

* * *

The next morning he was getting the truck ready when two little blonde heads popped into view.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

He scowled at them.

"Shouldn't someone be watching you two?" He asked gruffly. They were suppose to leave within the hours and he didn't have time for little kids hanging around.

"Beth said it was okay for us to watch you guys load up as long as we weren't in the way." Lizzie explained. Her face had a huge smile plastered on it. He had never seen her look that happy before. It made her look like a normal kid for once.

"Well you're in my way." he told them. Mika started to take a step back but Lizzie reached out a hand to stop her.

"We were just wanting to get to know you." She explained politely. He wondered if he should indulge them. If it would help to support her when she was exhibiting normal little girl behavior. He wondered what Beth would do.

"No," He said with a frustrated sigh, "I don't have a girlfriend. I don't want one neither." Both girls looked at each other like it was the best news they'd heard all day, possibly all week and Daryl got the feeling that he was digging his own grave.

"Why not?" Mika asked him. Her voice was overly sweet. He narrowed his eyes.

"Don't have time for that. I have other things to worry about."

"Maggie and Glenn are together." Lizzie pointed out. He rolled his eyes.

"Well that's great for Maggie and Glenn." He told them placing his crossbow in the back seat of the truck.

"So you would have time. If you wanted to." She said and he began to feel more frustrated than ever.

"Look, I don't have time for it and even if I did, which I don't, nobody around here is available for that. We all got our shit to do." He watched as Mika flinched at his language and as Lizzie's smile got so big he thought it must be painful.

"Beth's available," He stilled at that. He was sure his heart skipped a beat. He glared at the girl.

"You're both in my way. Get." He could feel that intimidating edge to his voice but the girl only shrugged and grabbed her sister's hand. She practically skipped away. He ran his fingers through his hair. This whole Lizzie business was getting out of hand.

Glenn approached him then and placed his bag in the truck's passenger side.

"You alright man?" He asked Daryl and he nodded absently. He was going to have to ask Beth to keep the girls out of his hair. He wasn't like her. He couldn't deal with all the giggling and scheming.

"You ready to go?" He asked Glenn and the man nodded. "Alright, Let's get a move on then."

He started up the truck. He was happy that he'd have some time to get his mind off of everything. Daryl looked over to Glenn and he seemed to be fidgeting nervously. He put it into drive and started out of the prison.

"Daryl?" Glenn was going to bug him about something. Maybe he should've just stayed with those girls. "I have a question."

"Okay," he answered. He tried to keep the sigh out of his voice but he knew it was useless.

"You have some experience with women, right?"

"Does it look like I have time for that?"

"No I mean... before all of this." Glenn was hesitant. Daryl was tired of people trying to figure out how his life was before the turn.

"What do you want Glenn?"

"Maggie wants to have a baby." The man blurted and Daryl felt more tense than normal. What was he suppose to say?

"Don't get what you want from me."

"Well, I kind of wanted your opinion. Like an outside person looking in." Daryl met Glenn's eyes. He looked unsure and scared. Daryl thought of Beth.

"Not many people get the chance to start something good like that these days. If you have the chance, I think you gotta take it." He was being as honest as he could be but Glenn looked unhappy.

"I just worry that she'll end up like Lori."

"Can worry all your life. Don't make it any less likely." Daryl told him as he looked back out onto the road. Nobody knew how long they had anymore. It was only a matter of time until the other shoe dropped. "All we can do is try to fix the prison back up. Keep it as safe as we can."

They fell into silence for a long while. Daryl had never been into the family stuff, but if he were to ever start one he'd feel most comfortable starting one around the prison group. The people were good and kind. There were too many people that survived that weren't those things. Glenn was a lucky guy to have all of that going for him. Glenn and Maggie were special and they deserved to have a life that almost no one got anymore.

He tried to focus on the task at hand. The road was fairly quiet, but he knew they'd run out of luck sometime. Probably when they started loading the truck up which wasn't exactly a quiet job. He just needed to get the stuff and go back. Then maybe Rick could fix up a section on the fence and he could get a couple days off runs.

"Was that truck here the last time we came through?" Glenn asked suddenly and Daryl slowed the truck. No, it hadn't been.

"Guess we should take a look." He said opening up the door. He approached the back. Looked at the tracks there. Two women and a child. That was very clear. The tracks weren't more than a day old. It was the fourth set that made him pause. "Glenn we need to get the supplies and get back."

They were the governor's tracks. Distinct. His shoes were more worn than the last time Daryl had tracked him but they were the same. He was back. They needed to prepare.


	8. Chapter 8

"With the materials we've collected in the last couple runs we could start building on the first section of fence. The one that was most damaged by the walkers. That would give us some sort of advantage from that angle at least." Rick told the group and Daryl looked around at Herschel, Sasha, Glenn, and Michonne.

"Who do we have on that?" Herschel asked.

"I'll do it. I know Maggie would like to help too." Glenn announced. Daryl started to bite on his fingernail.

"You should get as many people on it as you can. This is something even younger and older people can help with." He pointed out. Sasha nodded.

"I think it should be our first priority." She said. Rick looked at them all steadily before focusing in on Michonne.

"You leaving?" He asked her and she straightened in her stance. The woman had the intimidating look down.

"You want me to?" Daryl regretted giving her a hard time about this a week and a half prior. Now she was thinking they'd give her a hard time about going out to find the Governor.

"I think it would be a good idea if we scouted the situation out. I think you and Daryl should go." Rick wasn't asking. If he was he might have tried to argue that he could help here. He didn't want to leave and have something happen. On the other hand he wanted this guy six feet below him.

Daryl nodded at stood.

"No point in waiting. You ready Xena?" Michonne nodded and he was out of the door.

They were silent for the most part as they walked the halls. They were going to take a car out to the truck and start from there. Figure it out. He could feel her eyes studying him. Seemed everyone had something to say recently.

He was approaching the vehicles when he heard it. A soft melodic voice calling his name. He turned and he could see her running from the doors of C block. A cowardly part of him wanted to just hop in the car and go.

"Daryl," She sounded breathless as she stopped in front of him. "You don't have to go."

She must have heard from Maggie or Glenn and run to find him. It made him feel strange that she would make any effort to keep him here.

"I have to go. See what we're dealing with." He was looking anywhere but at her because she looked so good. Her hair was all messy and falling out of her ponytail. Her chest was heaving. Her cheeks were red. She looked too much like she had been thoroughly kissed for him to look at her too closely.

"I don't want you to." She said softly. He wondered if this was how Glenn felt when Maggie was asking him to stay back on runs. His heart was hammering in his chest. There was some un-nameable want inside of him when it came to her. He wasn't sure he wanted to explore what it was.

"Beth, go back inside. I'll be back before you know it." He told her trying to wave her off with his hand.

"Promise?"

"Beth," How could he make a promise he couldn't keep? She was making him feel these things that he had no right feeling.

"Promise me Daryl Dixon." She was demanding then. He could hear it in her tone and he spared a glance at her. Her hands were on her hips. She looked as fiery as she had ever looked.

"I promise. Now get." She hovered there for a moment as if trying to decide if she should really leave. She did after a moment and he was thankful for that.

He let out a sigh. It was going to be a long day. He looked over at the truck and saw that Michonne was leaning against the hood with a shit eating grin spread across her face.

"You gonna tell me what's going on there?"

"Shut up," He growled but he could feel the blush on his cheeks. He swallowed the feeling in his throat. "Let's just go." He hopped into the cab and started it up fluidly. He was going to forget about the sweet blonde woman that wanted him to come back. It was just a distraction that he didn't have time for.

He was glad that Michonne was usually quiet. They drove to the place Daryl had seen the tracks the day before. She was all business as soon as they left the prison gates. It was nice to be without prying questions and confusing feelings for a little while.

They had found the camp less than an hour after they had parked. It was a nice little set up. Women and children were there. There was a tank that was going to need to be dealt with sooner rather than later because no amount of wall building was going to stop that thing from getting through. Seemed the Governor wasn't too keen on leadership anymore. Everyone around this camp was calling him Brian.

Michonne had something akin to blood lust in her eye but she had held it at bay so far. Daryl was interested in knowing if this guy was a threat still. Something about his demeanor was off in a way that it wasn't back in Woodbury. This was a broken man. Broken men weren't always a threat. So they watched him.

It was halfway through the afternoon that Martinez and the Governor had gone off to shoot golf balls. Bastards were acting like they had no cares in the world.

Michonne and Daryl stood off in the woods watching the men talk.

Things seemed to be going fine. Other that the fact that Martinez was getting sloppy drunk. Just as Daryl was thinking that it was going to turn out boring he watched as the Governor took a club to the other man's head. Michonne tensed and went to grab her katana. Daryl stopped her. Shook his head. He needed to see this through. Martinez was just as dangerous as the Governor anyway.

They both watched as the Governor drug him into a pit filled with walkers. There was some screaming and then there was some silence. Then the man just sat there with a broken look on his face. He less stable than even Lizzie. The man was dangerous and needed to be dispatched.

"We knock him out and throw him in." He whispered to Michonne. She looked at him with disbelief.

"No, I want to do it."

"Those people are gonna come looking for them. We don't want them looking for who did this. We throw him in." Daryl was sure that this was the right call. Michonne nodded after a long pause. She didn't look happy. This was going to be difficult for her, but to be honest he didn't care. The bastard had killed his brother. He wished nothing but the worst death upon him but he wasn't going to be stupid about it.

They made their way across the open area swiftly. It seemed that the man wouldn't have heard them anyway. He was somewhere else. He was whispering as they got closer.

"I don't want it." He was muttering it over and over. The man needed to be put down. Daryl smashed his crossbow across the back of his head. The muttering ceased.

He looked to Michonne who nodded her consent and he pushed the man into the pit. The growls from the walkers and the tearing of flesh were not enough. They both watched until they were sure the man would not survive.

"Come on." He whispered and he made his way back the way they had come. Maybe they could make it back before dark. Michonne followed after a moment. All he wanted was to get back to the prison and feel better about this whole situation. Something about it felt too easy. Things just didn't go this well for them anymore.

They had to deal with a couple of walkers on their way back but it was nothing compared to what they were use to. Seemed that they were still spread out this far away from the prison. The drive back would take about an hour. He only wished they had something to listen to other than the silence that was surrounding them. The light was fading as they approached their home.

When they reached the front gate he expected to see Glenn or Maggie opening it up for him. Instead it was Maggie and Beth. Her hair was shining in the headlights. Her smile was huge.

"Dixon I think you have an admirer." Michonne laughed. He felt a blush creeping up his neck again. "A very pretty admirer."

"Don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't." Her tone was teasing. Ever since Beth had started taking some sort of liking to him everyone and their mother was teasing him like he wasn't intimidating anymore.

He drove up and parked the truck next to the other cars they had. They would need more gas soon. That could wait until after the first section of the wall was completed. Maggie and Beth were running up to meet them.

"What happened!?" Maggie shouted. Unloaded his crossbow from the back seat, put it over his shoulder.

"He's dead." Michonne answered. Her voice was cold again. The woman had something in her past that had made it easy for her to compartmentalize things. Daryl had often wished he had developed that ability. Instead he was just a mess of emotions and confusion.

"Was it that easy? Are you guys okay?" Maggie was looking them over. Beth was strangely quiet.

"He was broken. Somethin was wrong with him." He answered. He could feel Beth's eyes on him. It made him feel hot, being under her gaze. He decided he's go down and check on the progress with the fence. Michonne could explain it all to the others.

He could hear he quiet footsteps behind him. He didn't let on that he could hear it. She wasn't used to stalking prey or having to be silent.

The section they were working on had about six inches of cement drying for a base. Tomorrow they'd be working on the cinder blocks. Rick wanted it to be at least four feet high and as thick as the distance between the first and second fence. The only spot that wasn't suppose to have anything was the watch tower entrances and about four feet out from them so they could still access the doors. This way when the walkers were pushing against the fence they were pushing against something that wouldn't cave. It would also give them a height advantage on the things.

"Where are the little ones?" He asked and he cracked a smile when he heard her startle.

"Um- Rick took Judith. Mika and Lizzie... I put them to bed and locked them in. I wanted to be here for when you came back." She told him. She was shy about this.

"Don't know why." He said. He let his boot scuff at the firm concrete.

"I just did." She offered nothing else in way of explanation. He sensed that it wasn't because she didn't want to but rather because she didn't want to scare him off. Her posture was non offensive. She looked like she was approaching a spooked animal.

"Beth," He was so very tired. "You need to stop this."

"Stop what?" Her voice was soft, but there was a tinge of guilt to it. She knew what he was asking her to do.

"Don't know why you've taken a liking to me in the past couple of days, but I don't have much to offer and you need to stop." The words were hard to say for a number of reasons. She sighed. It wasn't the reaction he expected but she rarely made sense to him.

"You're so stupid sometimes Daryl Dixon." He bristled at that. He had been called a lot of things and stupid had been one of the milder things, but coming from her it hurt more than it should've.

He was quiet. He didn't want to fight with her. He didn't want to say things he would regret.

"I haven't "Taken a liking" to you in the past couple of days." Her voice was turning bitter. "You've just never noticed me before all of this. I've been noticing you for a long time."

He couldn't have spoken even if he wanted to. His jaw felt stuck in place.

"At first I just thought you were interesting. I wondered about you and where you had come from. Then," She chuckled at her memory. It held no mirth. "Then I started wondering about other things." There was that husky voice again.

That voice that made him want something. He wanted her when he heard it. It was wrong.

"I've thought about you for a long time. I've cared about you for a long time. And trust me, the thoughts of what I'd like to do to you, or what you could do to me, I've been having those for months now. Not a couple days." He could feel his heart hammering away. His face felt hot. He wasn't used to someone talking to him like this.

"So you can tell me to stop it all you like, but I'm sure that I can't" He looked at her. She looked more than sure. She looked like a woman. He wanted to give something to her. He wasn't sure he had anything to give.

She approached him. The way her hips swayed made it impossible for him to tear his eyes off of her. Both of her hands were on his chest, hot and determined. Her eyes weren't shying away from his stare either. She was being as aggressive as he had ever seen her be. Her fingers brushed the skin of his collar bone and he couldn't contain a low growl that escaped him. She smiled at it. Her eyes drifted down to his lips.

He was waiting for it. He realized he was waiting for her to close the distance. She started to he could feel her breath on his lips. She smelled sweet. She brushed lightly against him. She was soft. He was hoping she would actually do it and when he heard her slight giggle he realized she was playing with him.

She was going to make him do it. She brushed against him again, barely there, teasing him with a promise that she wasn't quite willing to give. His hand tangled in her hair. It was soft in between his fingers. He tugged softly and it was enough for her to take a sharp intake of breath. It was addicting. He forgot all the reasons why he shouldn't kiss her until she couldn't breathe.

"Daryl," She whispered. He couldn't take the breathless quality of her voice. He closed the distance.

Her lips were sugar and silk. He couldn't resist running his tongue over them and She let out a surprised whimper. He needed to hear more of that. She was shy about the kiss for all her bluster and seduction before it. There was an air of inexperience to it. The barest touch of his tongue against hers had her shivering. It was short and passionate.

He pulled away. Her eyes were heavy and her pupils blown up. She was panting into the short distance between them. He let his hand twist the hair in her pony tail and let the strands card through his fingers.

"Was that okay?" He asked her. She blinked slowly.

"Yeah," and then she laughed. Her voice was still low so the sound was different than it had been before. "Can we do it again?" Something about her smile made him stop worrying so much about what was heading towards them. He wanted to enjoy this moment, right here, with her.


	9. Chapter 9

He wasn't afraid of much, but this much he was sure of, he was scared of Beth. Terrified actually. He had been avoiding her. He had expected her to be miffed about it but instead it was as if she barely noticed. After the incident by the fences she had gone to bed and he had laid awake and decided that without a doubt he needed to put an end to the whole thing. He wasn't going to be caught up in some romance in the middle of an apocalypse. He just wasn't. That would be the stupidest thing he could do and lately stupid got you killed.

His avoidance of her didn't seem to surprise her in the least. He had to admit that he was upset about that. He had expected something. What, he didn't know. But he had expected more than what was happening. It was as if nothing had happened at all. She didn't seem distant, upset, or angry. She just carried on the same as ever while he felt forever altered.

There was something that had changed other than him though. Those girls were always staring at him and whispering as they followed Beth around like ducklings. While Beth's eyes didn't even seek his out the little girls were always watching. It made him uncomfortable. He had taken to avoiding the room completely. He wasn't one to shirk his duties though. Every night he was up against the door. He slept outside the room every night. He had a feeling all of the girls that occupied the room knew but had chosen to leave him to it. He rose before the sun did and wasn't there until well after it set.

Another thing that had changed was his thoughts. They always seemed to be drifting to her. It was maddening. She was always there in the corner of his mind and not in a platonic way either. He wanted her in more ways than one and his attempts to erase her from his mind and memory only seemed to secure her further.

It had been two weeks since they had spoken properly. It had been two weeks since he had a moment that he hadn't thought about her. He had a moment of weakness six days ago in the showers. Daryl wasn't one to focus on sexual things since the world had fallen apart. It would only bring him trouble, but he hadn't been able to stop himself from thinking about her.

That morning Michonne had arrived with all sorts of candies for the children and he had watched as Lizzie insisted she take a sucker when the girl had received her small allotment of candy. He had watched shamefully as her lips and tongue caressed the circumference of the sweet and it was that image of her, of her rose petal lips wrapped around a sucker, that had set him off. He hadn't touched that part of him in that way for so long that it hadn't taken very long to send him over the edge. Afterwards he felt incredibly flustered over it. It seemed wrong to do that over Beth. It seemed almost disrespectful. She was so much more than a body to get off on.

So that was what he was thinking about when she approached him in C block with everyone around them talking and laughing. She had sidled up to him. He immediately felt her presences, it burned his skin and caused a flush to rise to his cheeks. She smelled clean, sweet even, which was unusual for anyone these days.

"Hey," her voice was almost a whisper, soft and sweet, he had missed the way it sounded. "Can we maybe talk?"

He shrugged because the words seemed stuck in his throat. She tilted her head in question and he watched as her ponytail moved to cover her shoulder. He grunted in the positive and stood. Talking would probably lead to a fight, but he didn't have it in him to say no to her.

When they reached a quieter part of the prison grounds he stopped and waited for her to speak. Daryl wasn't about to start this conversation. He had no idea what she was thinking and he didn't want to mess everything up by saying something.

"I wanted to apologize to you," She told him. He watched as strong and confident Beth Greene took a step away from him and heaved in a deep breath like she was about to face something quite dangerous and she had to prepare. He could understand the feeling. "I forced you into doing something you weren't comfortable with. I know that I came on strong and I don't want you to think I don't respect what you want."

What he wanted? She had no idea. It wasn't about what he wanted, or even about what he needed. It was all about what made him feel comfortable. When he didn't say anything she bit her lip and looked away from him. He watched as her hand curled around her scarred wrist reflexively. He saw her then. He understood.

"I know you don't think of me the way I think about you." He heard the way her voice cracked. He felt horrible deep in the pit of his stomach. It felt as if he were ill.

"I just figured I had to try because-" She looked at the ground. She was trying to compose herself. He was trying to keep himself together too. "Because we don't have a lot of time left. No one is guaranteed anything anymore, if they ever were."

Maybe she felt uncomfortable under his gaze because he was watching her curl into herself slowly. He knew he had to say something, but he didn't know where to start.

"I just don't want you to feel weird around me." Beth looked at him from underneath her eyelashes. He wished he could be the man that would take her in his arms. That's what she made him want. At the same time he knew he couldn't.

"Nothin' to feel weird about." He voice was rough from disuse and emotion, he hoped she didn't notice. "Didn't mean nothing. Was just a kiss." He felt wrong having the words pass over his lips. She apparently felt wrong hearing them because the smile she wore was nothing but fake. There was pain in her eyes. He knew how to read that from a mile away. She had been hoping he'd say something different. He was so bad at this.

"Yeah," She said finally. He hadn't seen her this deflated in a long time, maybe since the farm. She turned to leave and he wanted to curse himself for being so bad at words. He wished he could show her how bad he felt about having to say no to her desire for him.

"Beth?" Daryl heard his own voice come out unsteady then. She turned. He wished that he could smother the hope in her eyes without hurting her. She was expecting some grand gesture. He didn't have one of those in him. "You're doing a good job with those kids. I was wrong about Lizzie. She really did need someone to care about her."

Her eyes darkened. It seemed he had said the wrong thing once again.

"Maybe she's not the only one." Her tone held no softness and he winced. She turned on her heel and didn't look back. He couldn't blame her. He couldn't blame anyone.

He hadn't had a fluffy childhood like Beth had. For all of Herschel's bad assery he was a loving father and a good role model to his daughters. Daryl hadn't had that in his life. His mother had drunk herself into a sleep so deep not even a fire could wake her. She had left them long before he could remember. He actually couldn't remember her very well at all. His father had always been mean. He couldn't help but wonder if that had been the reason his mother had drank so much liquor. The violence had seemed to touch both Merle and him, he couldn't see a reason his mother would have been spared.

When he had been young, thirteen maybe, he had gone to school most days, especially when Merle was away. At school he had started noticing a girl in his classes. For the life of him he couldn't remember her name. She had worn the prettiest little dresses to school though and he remembered that quite clearly. She had been soft and happy. She was everything Daryl had wished he could be. He had developed a crush on her. She had always been nice to him in passing interactions in class. he had thought about maybe asking her on a date. A lot of the other boys his age were doing that with girls. He wanted to be normal.

Then one day he had come into school covered in bruises and welts. She had taken one look at him and gasped. Any confidence he vanished as he saw the pity well up in her eyes. He told everyone that he had gotten into a fight and the rest of the kids had left him alone about it.

For weeks after that when his father whipped his back, where the bruises wouldn't show, he had only seen her face while he had cried out. The pity was unbearable.

That girl had been the closest he had ever been to having a normal childhood experience and his father had taken it away from him. Afterwards it was just him and Merle and occasionally just to shut his brother up he would have sex with a girl that Merle was pushing on him. It was better than being called names for the next week and being bullied over not having the "balls" to fuck a random girl.

He hadn't ever had the opportunity to settle and he had convinced himself he didn't want to. He knew now that he did. He probably always had. Seeing the softness in Beth, everything he hadn't had, he felt that want rise up. She was a piece of heaven in this hell and he wanted to reach out and touch that. He wanted to experience something good, but he wasn't good enough, didn't know how.

A few days later he was working out in the yard, mostly making sure the cars were in good condition and making a list of supplies they needed the next time they went out. When he turned a little blonde head came into view.

"Where's your shadow?" He asked Mika who stood there in the most no offensive position she could. She tilted her head, clearly not understanding his question. "Your sister. Where is she?"

"Oh," The girl smiled slightly. "She asked me to leave her alone. She wanted to spend time with Carl."

He wasn't surprised. He had noticed the way the two had started acting recently, too shy and awkward for their own good. It was good to see something so normal as a school aged crush around here.

"Go find Beth then. I've got things to do kid." He waved her away and was surprised when she didn't move, she was usually too timid to disobey an order.

"But that's just it. I have to talk to someone. Beth always told me and Lizzie that we could talk to her or you about anything. But the thing I've gotta talk about is about Beth so I can't ask her." She looked up at him hopefully. He wanted to tell her to get lost, but he didn't guess that would be good for the little one so he conceded.

"Okay. Shoot." He told her and he watched as her body opened from a demure posture to one that was more relaxed. This girl reminded him so much of himself when he was small sometimes.

"Is Beth my mom?" Her little face was wide eyed. She began to back pedal. "Like I know she isn't my real mom. My mom is dead. But is she going to be my mom from now on or just until Lizzie isn't screwed up? Should I call her mom? Is that weird?"

He couldn't help but smile at how small and confused she looked. He often forgot how little they really were because they always had to act much more mature with the world the way it is now.

"Do you want her to be your mom?" He prodded her because really he was curious about how the girl felt. He couldn't imagine accepting a mother into his life after his own had died.

"Well..." she paused. Her feet scuffed the dirt. "I miss my mom a lot, but when I'm with Beth I miss her a lot less. She does things for me. She takes care of me. I think she loves me."

He nodded. Beth probably did love the girl. Beth had such an open heart that way. It was one of her most endearing traits.

"I suppose she does." He told her. "Beth takes care of you and Judith and Lizzie like you're her own. I don't think she'd be upset if you thought of her as a mom." Mika looked like she was thinking it over. Then she looked him square in the eye.

"Have you ever thought about being a dad?" Her voice was sweet and he struggled to think up an appropriate answer. He looked out onto the prison yard and studied the women and children and make shift families bustling through. He caught sight of gleaming blonde hair. Beth was laughing with Glenn in the courtyard. Judith was on her hip. She looked perfectly tempting.

"No," He replied tightly, his eye flickering down to the girl in front of him. She looked puzzled. Her eyes crinkled at the edges and her lips pursed in a way that reminded him of Beth. She was everywhere.

"But... I think you'd make a good one. You're strong and you help everyone. You even help me and Lizzie." She didn't realize that she was testing his temper by pushing him into a topic he was uncomfortable with. "Lizzie and I think Beth loves you."

There it was. There was the reason for all the whispering and all the looks. He tried not to be overly mean but he needed to get away from this little girl and her questions.

"You need to go."

"But-" She started. He could hear the quiver in her voice. She was scared of him. She should be. He wasn't good.

"Go." He ordered and this time she listened. He couldn't help but see how her lip was shook. She wasn't used to being scolded. He tried to ignore the guilt he felt over it. He needed to avoid everything to do with Beth.

His eyes found her again, bouncing the baby on her hip and smiling widely as Judith giggled. Yes, Beth Greene was a dangerous kind of temptation. The kind that a man could fall into quite easily and would never recover from it as long as they lived or as long as she would have them. Fantasies about children, fatherhood, and love were dead. They were a distraction and he couldn't afford that. He had to protect everyone. He had to so Beth could remain the way she was, so that the children could stay alive, so that Judith would live into adulthood.

Daryl Dixon had no room for things as pure and rare as Beth Greene. And if he did he didn't deserve it.

He knew that for absolute certain because late that night when he went down to the showers he thought about her again.

He stroked himself thinking of her soft curves, her silky hair, her light pink lips. He imagined her on her knees in front of him with wide blue eyes. He wanted her there. He wanted to feel the warmth of her breath on his cock. He wanted to watch as her pupils dilated her breathing got heavy.

He could imagine her asking him in that husky voice of hers what he wanted. He could imagine her little tongue coming out to tease the very tip and could imagine her painfully slowly taking his length into her hot mouth.

He imagined all of these things and knew that he didn't deserve her, not for one minute. She needed someone more whole. Someone that was just as soft and happy and kind as she was. He wasn't even close. He wanted to be, but he wasn't.


	10. Chapter 10

Daryl Dixon had never been one to interact with kids, but lately they seemed to be pushing themselves on him. He was taking his frustrations out on the walker on the fence, a section that they hadn't built up yet, when Lizzie had appeared with a grim look on her face.

"I need to talk to you." She told him. He plunged a knife into a walker's head and was pleasantly surprised as blood spurted out from the wound before it fell to the ground. He waited for her to cry out, but she stood there. Her frown tightened, but that was her only response. He felt somehow disappointed. He didn't want to talk to her. "Daryl?" She was impatiently waiting for some sort of response.

"I'm busy." He replied shortly. She huffed in an unimpressed way. He looked over at her and she rolled her eyes. Preteen angst was rolling off of her.

"Let me help then asshole." She said and held her hand out patiently. This was a surprise. He handed her a smaller knife that he had on him from this morning and she grasped it firmly. She only shuddered slightly as she plunged it into the nearest walker's head.

"I'll help you kill them and you'll have a conversation with me. Deal?" Her eyes met his steadily and he nodded. It was an interesting proposition and he wanted to see how far she had come.

The slim girl moved to the next walker and dispatched it with only a slight flinch. He turned his attention back to the fence.

"We need to talk about Beth." She said and he grunted. He didn't want to. These little girls were more annoying than he had initially anticipated.

"What about her?"

"What happened the night you stopped sleeping in the room?" Lizzie asked. He hadn't thought about how the little girls would interpret the change. Of course they would be suspicious.

"Nothin'" He growled at her and stabbed violently at the next walker in the line. Lizzie paused on the fence line and turned to him.

"Really? Because the first night she just went to sleep, but the next night we heard her crying as she was rocking Judith to sleep." Her face was firm. She wanted an answer. He felt his heart sink.

"She knows you're just outside you know. She looks over at the door every night as she's putting us in bed." Daryl sighed. He didn't need more reasons to feel bad about that night with Beth. He already had more than enough.

"You and your sister need to stop talking to me about this." He was serious but she laughed humorlessly.

"We just care about Beth. We know you do too. She deserves to be happy in every way possible." Her eyes met his with intensity. She was expecting something from him.

"Then she should look somewhere else." Daryl know his voice was coming out harsh but the girl didn't show any indication that she noticed. She looked at the fence. A walker was pressed up against it, mouth snapping.

"I used to think that the change between being a human and a walker was like the change between being a kid and an adult. I realize now that it isn't." She looked at him expectantly but he had no idea where she was going with the statement so he waited for her to continue.

"I realize now that growing up you change, but those changes are your own choice. You have a choice about what you want to do and how you act. You make those choice off of what you've been through and the people in your life." She looked at the knife in her hand.

"When you die and become one of these things you don't have a choice. You have to do what it tells you to do. If you are alive and you let your past effect what you're doing that's human, but if you let it take away your choices... you're no better than them." She stabbed the walker. This time she didn't falter. It was smooth and careful and the body fell with a moan.

He knew what she was saying but she didn't know what she was asking him to do. He couldn't be the person he wanted to be. If that made him like them then that was what he was.

"She told me." He was startled and he looked at her in question. The girl raised her eyebrows at him. She knew they had kissed. He felt heat on his cheeks.

"Didn't mean anything." He told her swiping the little knife out of her hand.

"Did so. At least to her." she insisted her voice laced with frustration, "God, boys are so stupid." And with that she walked away. He felt slightly upset that she had robbed him of the opportunity to tell her to leave.

He had to put it out of his mind. This whole thing was crazy and strange and completely not him. He didn't do kids, feelings, _Beth._ He didn't do any of it. And it was for good reason. At least that's what he tried to convince himself, but he couldn't get her words out of his head.

That was the reason he entered the room for the first time in weeks later that night. Everyone was asleep and only the couch was unoccupied but he knew i would feel better than the floor he had been sleeping. He put his stuff down as quietly as he could but he heard Beth shift on her cot. Her blonde hair picked up what little light there was in the room and shimmered as she lifted her head to look at him.

"Daryl?" She was tired. Her voice was rough with tiredness and he had to stop himself from leaving at the sound of it.

"Just coming in. Didn't mean to wake you." He felt embarrassed under her stare. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"Let me move. You can take the bed." As she said it she was already moving to stand. He moved towards her and grabbed her arm, leaning over her as she sat on the edge.

"Beth, go back to sleep." Her breath was soft as it fanned over his face. He would almost call it a sigh. She shook him off of her and let her fingers intertwine with his. He couldn't remember the last time someone had held his hand, if ever. She squeezed his fingers once. He felt something pleasantly unpleasant move in his stomach and something clench in his chest.

"Just this one time." She whispered and he nodded even though he knew she probably couldn't see it. Words disappeared when she touched him this way. She was gone before he noticed her pulling away. He heard her rustle the sheets on the bed and get comfortable once again.

Daryl was grateful that she didn't argue tonight. He was having a hard enough time not doing something they'd both regret. After a little while laying there on the couch, thinking about her, he fell asleep.

The next morning it was a little blonde girl that was shaking him awake. His eyes flew open landed on a smiling and joyful face. Mika looked like she had just won something extraordinarily nice.

"You're here! You came back!" She exclaimed and hopped onto him, she embraced him in a hug that he felt was a little over the top. He looked around the room. He was surprised that he had slept in this late. Beth and Lizzie were nowhere to be found. The girl had not let go and he was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

"Yeah, now get off before I regret it." The frustration in his tone didn't seem to register with her. She only pulled away and flashed a radiant smile at him.

"Lizzie and Beth went to go feed Judith. I stayed behind." She looked at him expectantly and he just grunted in response. What was he suppose to say?

"Beth was so happy this morning. You should have seen her. She was humming. Almost singing. We love when she sings. Don't you?" The girl was basically chirping that's how excited her was.

"It's alright I suppose." He said noncommittally but the girl beamed at him. He stood from the couch and made his way to the door to grab his stuff. She followed close behind him.

"Are you going to eat breakfast with us? Carl does sometimes. Lizzie and Carl like each other I think. I know Lizzie likes him. Do you think Carl likes her? You'll be there right?" The questions irked him even though he knew she was well meaning.

"No," He told her and like that it was like the wind was pulled out of her sails.

"Why not? Aren't you hungry?" The girl was sweet and she looked confused about his rejection.

"Got stuff to do. You better run along." He grabbed his crossbow and draped it over his shoulder.

"I called her mom." Mika said suddenly. She was realizing her time was running short to tell him things. He shrugged and waited for her to say more.

"She didn't get mad or anything. She just looked at me real funny and then offered to brush my hair for me. She did it in these really cool braids too. We had to take them out before bed though." She smiled slightly at the memory and ran a hand through her hair. "You were right.'"

"Course I was." He told her. Something was incredibly endearing about Mika. He cracked a smile too and then opened the door to leave.

She ran after him. She had to hurry to keep up with his pace.

"Beth, Mom, she wanted to talk to you before you left I think. She was shushing us all morning trying to give you more time to sleep." Mika had quite the mouth on her. Seemed she never stopped talking.

"If she wants to talk to me, she'll find me." He told her. "Can't sleep all day."

"It's early still though." Her eyes were wide. "You always wake up before us and we wake up early. Beth, mom, she says it's better to get up early but Lizzie always wants to sleep in. She says that you only get so many mornings."

"It's true," He told her. His voice was soft then because he knew that the girl couldn't possibly understand the full meaning of the words. Even though she had lost most of her family she didn't fully understand what that mean yet. She was too small.

"Daryl!" He looked up and saw Beth with Judith on her hip and Lizzie trailing behind her. He had hoped to avoid this for as long as possible. Lizzie brightened considerably and Mika ran to join her behind Beth.

"Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to sit down and have breakfast with us now that Judith is all fed." Her eyes held a kind of hope that he had a hard time snuffing out.

"I got a lot of things to do." He said adjusting the crossbow on his back just to do something with his hands. He felt that heat that signified a blush starting to creep up his neck.

"Surely you can sit and have a proper breakfast for one day. The world isn't going to fall apart over you sitting and eating for thirty minutes." She was prodding and he knew it. He wasn't particularly happy about it but looking at her and the blonde children in tow he knew it wouldn't be a good thing to refuse.

"Okay, but it's only for today." He told them looking directly at Mika who looked about ready to jump up and down.

"Of course!" Beth said and she turned to walk back from where she was coming from pushing the children along. They passed Michonne on their way into C block and Mika immediately explained the situation to her in the most exuberant way possible.

"Michonne! Daryl is sitting with us for breakfast! Isn't that great?! Isn't it?" The child called to her and Michonne started to laugh. He was particularly embarrassed when Michonne took the opportunity to wink at him. He was sure that he was pink all over.

"Yeah, Dixon never sits with anyone. You must be something special."

Beth hushed Mika and pushed her forward, encouraging her to continue into the area and take a seat. This was probably the most domestic this he had ever done in his entire life. Lizzie and Mika took a seat next to each other and Beth went to go get them something to eat, she passed him Judith on her way and the baby giggled happily. This was all something at was totally out of character for him and he started to feel more and more uncomfortable when eyes started to rest on him.

Maggie passed with a wide smile on her face as she waved to the children. Glenn followed her and patted his back. He didn't feel comfortable with this kind of attention. It seemed he was getting too much praise these days. He didn't need anyone thinking he was a family man. He wasn't.

Beth returned with a couple of bowls filled to the brim with fruits and vegetables from the garden. The girl's took theirs and started in on them. Beth smiled and sat down next to him. The proximity made him even more nervous. He was wishing he could just bolt.

Beth looked at him kindly and removed Judith from his arms to sit the girl in her lap and passed him a bowl she had prepared for him. He took it, grateful for the distraction from the situation at hand. He watched from underneath his hair as Carl came up to the table and took a seat next to Lizzie whose blush put his to shame. Carl whispered something in her ear and she nodded. A smile was wide on her face and the boy laughed at her. His eyes flickered over to Beth who was doing her best to advert her attention from that side of the table but there was a smirk on her face. This was good.

This whole moment was good, happy, and perfect. It was everything they were fighting to keep and he was happy to see it even if he felt slightly removed from it. He fished around in his bowl picking around some things in favor of others just to make the food last longer.

He hadn't realize Beth moved at all until her little hand was wrapping itself around his underneath the table and giving him a squeeze. He tried to remain unaffected and continue eating but his heart felt all stuck in his chest in a not entirely unpleasant way again.

He wasn't about to pull away. Maybe he should, but he couldn't.

He didn't want to...

"Momma?" Mika called from where she was sitting and Beth retracted her hand from his in favor of a fork to start eating again. She looked at Mika with a small smile. "Momma, can we color today before story time. Together I mean, you and me?"

"Of course," She told the girl and he thought he could see her trying not to smile too wide. Judith slammed her hands down on the table in front of her and laughed at the slapping sound. He watched as Beth ran her left hand over the baby's head and stroked her hair. She was good at mothering even being so young herself. He wondered if it was just something some people are born with.

"Hey Daryl?" Carl called. His voice was steady and sure. The child had long out grown fear. "Could you maybe take me and Lizzie out to do the fences today? If you're doing them that is?" He looked at the both of them considering it. Lizzie straightened under his stare.

"Rick okay with that?" He asked the boy and he shrugged in response.

"Gave me my gun back so..."

"Yeah, you can come if it's alright with Beth." Both the kids looked at her expectantly. She paused, thinking it over.

"Mom, please? I promise to be careful. We'll be back for story time?" Beth laughed then and it was one of those deep heartfelt ones that him smile just by hearing it.

"Yeah you can go."

"Bet I can beat you there Daryl!" Carl called pushing himself and starting out the door. Lizzie followed swiftly only stopping to give Beth a quick hug.

"Be safe" She whispered to him before standing and grabbing her bowl and Lizzie's to put them in the pile to be washed. Mika followed behind her and gave him a excited wave goodbye as she rounded the corner.

Damn, domesticated indeed.


	11. Chapter 11

Her hands slid up his arms in the most sensual of ways. He couldn't stop himself from taking a sharp breath in. Beth leaned towards him and her eyes were dilated, he could tell she wanted this. She lowered her mouth to his ear and whispered to him. His cock twitched.

"Come and find me," Her voice was liquid sex to his ears and then suddenly she was gone. He could hear her soft footfalls making their way down the hall. It was dark. He was going to have to hunt for her. The idea of being a predator and Beth being the prey was so exciting to him at this point he couldn't stop himself from smiling.

He was going to hunt her down and show her exactly what he had been thinking about these last couple of days. He wanted to put his mouth on every part of her body. He wanted to taste her arousal and he wanted her to feel his. There were a million different ways he would like to take her body. He just had to find her... and show her.

"Daryl," It was a whisper in the dark that made his pulse race. A whisper that was abruptly followed by a light hand on his shoulder. He startled himself awake only to find Beth by his side.

It had been a dream. He had been having a sex dream about Beth while Beth and two children and an infant were in the room. He was becoming overly dirty in thought content.

"I'm sorry but you were tossing so much. I thought you were having a nightmare." It was dark in the room just like it had been in the hallway of his dream. Her breath warmed side of his face. She was so close he could probably reach out and kiss her senseless, but that was for dreams. In reality he didn't even know where to start with Beth and he wasn't entirely sure that he should start at all.

"It's alright," He told her, even though he wished he could've just stayed in the dream. It probably would have been a lot more satisfying than sitting here with her in the dark all confused about his feelings.

"What was it about?" Her tone was understanding and mothering. He tensed. He wasn't even going to begin to go there with her.

"Nothin'" He told her in a low tone. She sighed in an exasperated way.

"I just want to help you. I'm not trying to judge." She shifted and he could suddenly feel her body heat. She was so close. He had never felt more conflicted about anything in his life. These feelings about Beth.. was it lust or something else? He couldn't tell. It had been so long since he had felt anything, even lust, for anybody.

"Daryl?" she was barely whispering. He was sure that even if the girls were awake and trying to eavesdrop that they wouldn't hear her.

"Hmm?"

"It was nice, you sitting with us for breakfast... Maybe you could do it more often?" He wished that she wasn't so hopelessly optimistic sometimes. Her optimism made it hard for him to focus on the reality of the situation.

"Don't usually have time," He told her trying to be as gentle as possible. No sense in hurting her feelings because honestly he had sort of enjoyed it as well, in a weird way.

"I don't mean every day. Just sometimes?" He didn't know what to say. He didn't promise things to people unless he knew he could keep that promise and he didn't know what implications would lie ahead for him if he promised her this. "Maybe you can just think about it?"

"I'll think about it." He conceded and she let out a puff of air. She must have been holding her breath.

"Okay, Goodnight Daryl."

"Night Beth."

He had been sitting in the guard tower contemplating everything that had been going on when He heard his name being called. Thinking the worst he stepped out and looked at the fence line trying to see any threat. Once he determined there was none he turned to face the prison yard where Mika was waving at him and running towards the tower. These girls would be the death of him. He tried not to be angry at the child and it got easier as he climbed down and met her and saw how excited she was.

"I made you something." She told him. She was out of breath and smiling. She held a piece of paper out to him and he hesitated to take it. She only took a step forward, offering it aggressively. He grabbed it from her and took a look at what had made her so excited.

It was a picture of a stick figure man with a crossbow shooting a walker in the head. In the back ground there were three girls with blonde hair and one was holding a swaddled mess in blankets. He assumed it was Judith.

"See? It's you. You're protecting us. This is me and this is Lizzie. The one with the ponytail is Beth. She said I got her hair just right. I even drew Judith." She pointed it all out to him and he couldn't find the words to respond. The pause made her shift to look at him. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah, it looks alright," it was the best damn picture he had ever seen. It made him feel like he was a part of something important. He tried to hand it back to her, embarrassed by his own thoughts.

"It's yours. I made it for you. I remember how my dad used to carry around pictures of us in his wallet. We can't take pictures anymore so I thought you could carry this around with you to remember us by when you're away." Her voice was always overly chipper. She was so happy.

"Don't have a wallet." He told her. He tried again to hand it back. Her hand rested on the top of his, unwilling to take the drawing back.

"Well you have a pocket, don't you?" She was giggling like it was some funny joke. He looked the drawing over again and folded it up. She watched him closely as he placed it in his back pocket.

"Happy now?" He asked her but he had a feeling his gruff tone was softened by his smile. She nodded. "Run along then. I got stuff to do."

"See ya later." She told him like she hadn't been more sure of anything in the entire world. Then she ran back up to the courtyard where Beth was no doubt waiting for her. Something about the picture and that girl made him feel better. Made him feel good inside.

He went back to his post, reminding himself he'd have to find a better place to keep the drawing in later. Maybe out on his run tomorrow to get more concrete and cinder blocks for the other side of the front gate he'd be able to find something.

It was late in the day when she found him. She was unexpectedly childless. She looked a mess though, hair ratty, spit up stain on her shirt, marker stains on her hands. She was still incredibly attractive despite it.

"Daryl." She greeted him happily. He wondered where she was off to. She didn't have a reason to be out here with him and the cars, but maybe she was off to do something.

"Hey," He responded. He hadn't met them for breakfast that morning, needing the clear his head. He suddenly felt bad for it. "Where are the ducklings?"

"Spending time with Carl and Rick actually. Lizzie is stuck on him I think. Carl I mean, not Rick." She blushed over her slip up . "Anyway it took me begging her for her to be okay with Mika coming along. She wants alone time with him all the time lately."

"It's nice to see her acting so normal." He told her sincerely. Lizzie was impressing him with her rapid recovery. What had it been? Maybe a month and a half to two months and the girl was looking so much better, acting so much better.

"Yeah, reminds me of when I was growing up. Makes me think that maybe their lives won't be so shitty. Plus, It gives me hope for Judith." He nodded at her confession.

He knew what she meant. If there was any hope for Judith at all the little girls would turn out just fine. Lizzie and Mika had memories before all of the shit hit the fan and he didn't know if that would make it easier or harder for them, but he knew they were large indicators of what they could expect from Judith in a few years.

"You going out tomorrow?" She asked suddenly and he nodded.

"Gotta start working on the other side of the front gate. We've put it off for too long." He really wasn't looking forward to it. It was getting much tougher to come back from runs like this. They were going to have to head farther out and the walkers were in much larger groups lately. They just kept coming.

"I'm sure someone else could go." Her voice was light but he could hear the tension there.

"Ain't got a need for that. I'm fine to go." Daryl didn't really know how to respond to her concern. She knew he was capable... didn't she? He wasn't too weak to do it. He didn't want her thinking he couldn't handle it.

"Yeah, I know." She let out a sigh. "I'm just tired of being worried."

"You'd worry about anyone being out there. Might as well be me." She looked sad at his statement and she turned her face away for a moment. When she looked back she looked unaffected again.

"You're right." There was that false cheeriness to her tone that made him feel guilty again. "I'll see you in the room later." She walked past him and into the closest building. He sighed in frustration. He didn't understand her at all.

All of the Beth stuff was foolish and he wasn't one to fool around even in the best of times. It didn't seem to matter though because the girl was all he could think about lately.

The sun was already casting long shadows across the prison yard but he continued to prepare the cars and make sure they were in the best shape possible. There was something innately satisfying about working all day, being covered with dirt, and having a special kind of soreness in your muscles that only came from a long day.

He was glad he had found some security and some family in the middle of all of this but it wasn't going to ever change who he was. He was always going to feel more comfortable working than resting. He was always going to enjoy hunting and tracking over being a hero.

Once he was satisfied that the cars wouldn't be giving them any problems on the road the next day he decided he was overdue for a shower. He hadn't had one for a couple days and now that he was hanging out with little ones regularly he felt the need to not let himself get too dirty in between showers.

It was dark out now. It meant he could go in and no one would be around to look at his back and make any insensitive comments about it, or worse, give him sad looks over it. He strode over to the showers with a purpose. He needed to get to bed fairly early. He needed his strength for the run.

He didn't know how he had missed the sound of running water, but he did. Maybe he was slipping? Maybe he was going soft? More likely he had been thinking about Beth and it had distracted him.

So he had ended up stepping purposefully into the shower room to see Beth, her back turned to him. At first he had been embarrassed and wanted to turn to leave, but then that embarrassment turned to curiosity quickly. She was moaning and god help him if he didn't feel some arousal at the noise alone.

She was doing what he had done only a few days ago, she was masturbating and he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

He ass was tight and round, firm, and it lay at the top of impossibly long and silky legs. It was the kind of ass that you'd want to spank. The kind you'd like to watch move as you took a woman from behind. Her back twitched as her hand moved between her legs. her left hand was bracing her weight against the tiled wall in front of her. She let out a gasp and suddenly he felt very aware of his presence.

He should leave. She was more than a body to be stared at. She deserved some privacy. Some respect.

He really should leave. Why wasn't he?

She let out a whispered murmur that sounded like his name and he felt his heart thunder in his chest. His fingers twitched. He wanted to touch himself. Actually, fuck that, he wanted to touch her.

"Shit," she gasped out. Her voice echoed and the dirty word from her lips made him stifle a deep growl that threatened to give away his presence. He bit his lip.

He had never imagined Beth touching herself before even after she had alluded to it before their kiss. Seeing her now, in that way, made him want to throw her up against the wall and fuck her. He wanted to hear all those little murmurs as she let them out right in his ear. He wanted to mark her in more ways than one. God he was horrible for thinking about it, but he couldn't help it.

Her body was twitching, her legs where shaking now and he knew she was close. He couldn't stop himself from watching her. He was going to see Beth Greene come undone.

Her hand clenched and unclenched on the wall. Water ran down her back as she twisted in pleasure. He breath was coming more rapidly than before. He desperately wanted to adjust himself, but he really couldn't move. The pressure in his jeans was becoming unbearable.

"Daryl," Her voice shook. She struggled even getting his name out, but there it was out in the open air and there was no mistaking it. She was getting off... while she was thinking about him.

"Please," She was begging for release and he was relishing the sound of her voice even if he shouldn't be around to hear it. If he was more sure of himself he may have gone to her then and taken her, but he wasn't. He was sure he's fuck something up. Plus, what was he going to do afterwards? What do you do with a girl that you want to fuck, respect, and can't get out of your head?

What do you do with a girl that makes your heart stop just by smiling at you or grabbing your hand?

Fuck if he knew. All he knew is that he really wished he could do something with her. This tension was killing him. She came with a loud moan and he watched as her knees buckled slightly. Only her hand on the shower wall stopped her from falling to the floor. She let out a relieved sigh and he knew he needed to get out of the room before she noticed him there.

He moved as slowly and as quietly as he could and ducked into the closest empty room he could find.

He had to figure out what he wanted with Beth.

First things first though. He was going to wait until she was gone and go take a shower like he had planned. He was going to relieve himself, not because he deserved it, because he didn't, but because he didn't want to jump Beth the next time he saw her. Then he was going to go to sleep and think on the whole thing after his return from the run tomorrow.

And he was going to return. He finally had something worth coming back to.


	12. Chapter 12

It had been almost noon when they reached the warehouse. Glenn, Tyreese, and Daryl had hoped to make better time but the road they had planned on taking up was overrun by a hoard of walkers and they had to double back and take a less direct route. The place had been untouched and was still locked up when they got there. The air inside was dusty and stale.

Daryl tried not to think too hard about that morning. He had left before any of the girls had woken up. To say he regretted it would be an understatement. He had only done it because he was embarrassed over what he had witnessed the night before and because he was trying to avoid thinking about it even though it haunted his every thought.

The longer they were out here in the open the bigger chance there was of them being caught up in something they couldn't escape. What if he never got to say goodbye?

He shook his head and focused on loading the two trucks they had with the materials they needed for the fence. They would need to make a couple more trips out here to finish the next section. The faster they got this run over with the faster they could start preparing for the next one. He just wanted to get back safely.

"Maggie was nagging at me all morning about coming out here, but its quieter than I thought it would be." Glenn announced to both men. Daryl didn't want to jinx anything but he had to agree. This was going better than he had expected. They were half way loaded and they had yet to deal with any undead.

"Let's hope it stays that way." He agreed. Glenn looked at him with a speculative gaze that unnerved him so he went back to work.

Glenn was apt to prying. He was a talker and when people talked they asked questions. Daryl wasn't too good with those even on the best of days. He didn't want any questions stirring up his mind. He was already thinking too much about Beth. He felt foolish because he should be focused on the task at hand. Anything other than the run had to wait no matter how attractive and seductive the his thoughts might be.

"I've been wanting to ask you something." He just wanted to get this job done and get back home and Glenn was trying to strike up meaningful conversation.

"Hmm." He tried to put the whole thing off like he wasn't nervous about what the question was going to be but the truth was he was always nervous when it came to questions. Except if the questions had to do with hunting or tracking. He could field those all day.

"You and Beth. What's going on there?" Glenn asked and then mercifully he bent down to help with some of the cinderblocks that he was trying to scoop up.

What was he supposed to say? He didn't know what was going on either. All he knew was that his chest felt pleasantly tight when he thought about her and that she was undeniably attractive in more than just a physical way. There was no way he was telling anyone that.

"What do you mean?" He asked hoping he could stall Glenn or even make him reconsider the question by acting clueless. He could act stupid with the best of them.

"I mean..." The man paused and considered for a second. He helped Daryl heave the blocks into the bed of the truck. "Well you sat with her at breakfast the other day. Plus, you seem to feel uncomfortable around her. And then there is what Beth does..."

"What Beth does?" He was undeniably curious for insight on the youngest Greene. Plus it was a good way to get the focus off of him.

"She looks for you, in a crowd I mean. Her eyes scan around and they only settle when they land on you. She talks about you to Maggie. She is always watching you. I don't know. Just seems like there is something there." Glenn chose his words carefully. It occurred to Daryl that this may have been on his mind for awhile.

He felt uncomfortable under the man's speculative gaze. This was basically Beth's brother. He didn't want to say something he would regret.

"I'm just helping her with the kids. I promised Rick that I would." Glenn raised a eyebrow at that and Daryl ducked his head.

"I think it's more than the kids." Glenn's voice had a teasing tone that made it hard to concentrate and also made it hard for Daryl to hide his embarrassment. "Beth is a pretty girl."

"She's alright, I guess." The prettiest girl he had ever seen let alone taken an interest in him, but he wasn't about to admit that. Glenn snorted openly at his answer and Daryl felt a blush creep up his neck. His mind drifted to her bright eyes and shiny hair. He thought about the way she looked when she laughed. Yes, she was undeniably pretty even though the word was unfamiliar on his tongue.

"Hmm, and she's nice." Glenn pointed out carefully as he loaded a bag of concrete mix into the bed. Beth was the nicest person he had ever met. The darkness of the world seemed to be repelled by her mere presence. He could wax poetic about how _nice_ she was.

"I guess." Daryl said again. He really wanted this line of questioning to end.

"She's brave, strong in her own way." Daryl was beginning to grow annoyed that Glenn wouldn't just let the whole thing go. He thought about the way Beth looked when she was angry. He thought about her hands on her hips, her eyes flashing dangerously, and her hair becoming wild as she ran her hands through it with frustration.

"Sometimes," He agreed grudgingly. Glenn's eyes held a twinkle that Daryl hated. The man was poking fun at him.

"She's got a nice body too." Daryl stilled. He felt anger crawling up his body. The mention of Beth's body led to him thinking of the night before in the shower room. The suggestion that any man had noticed Beth in that way was enough to make him want to hit something.

"I guess," He growled. Tyreese looked over suddenly. He was smiling good naturedly but his sudden interest in the conversation made him uneasy.

"The girl's more than nice. She's a piece of heaven." The large man was interjecting in a conversational way but the fact that yet another man was appraising Beth made him furious. He fought to control his temper.

"Maybe you're fucking dating the wrong Greene, Rhee." His voice was tight. He felt all of his muscles tensing. Glenn laughed outright at the suggestion.

"You jealous, Dixon?" He was past done with being involved with Glenn and his questions. It was obviously all about poking at him and his feelings and he had enough of that to last a life time from Merle. At least Glenn didn't mean it to be upsetting but it didn't lessen the sting any.

"Just get to work. Ain't got time for talking about girls." He announced and he slammed a couple of cinder blocks down into the bed.

The rest of the load up was quiet, but he could see laughter dancing in Glenn's eyes and it made him even more pissed off. As they were locking up the warehouse and preparing to drive off a single walker scrambled out of the bushes with a moan. Tyreese made a move towards it, but before he could reach it Daryl had shot it in the eye with such force that the bold flew through cleanly and landed on the ground some feet behind the body.

He almost forgot that he still needed to do one more thing before they left. He walked up to the now unmoving body purposefully and started searching the man's pockets. He heard Glenn start up the engine of one of the trucks, but nothing mattered more than the feel of leather in his hand as he reached into the corpse's back pocket.

He victoriously pulled the wallet out and stuffed it into his own pocket. He would clean it up later and it would be the perfect place for the picture Mika had given him.

"You done, Dixon? Or will we have to leave you?" Glenn asked. The man was still infuriatingly amused and Daryl said nothing as he slid into the passenger's side of the cab. Hopefully they would get back without a hitch and then he could avoid Glenn to the best of his abilities. It shouldn't be too hard since Glenn and Maggie usually took the whole next day after a run to fuck each other like crazy.

"What were you looking for anyway?" Glenn asked softly. The man meant no harm with his questions. Daryl just wasn't in the mood.

"Ain't for you to know."

When they returned to the prison it was past dark. Only Michonne and Rick met them at the gate and helped them unload. Daryl was starting to feel antsy. He couldn't deny that he wanted to see Beth. Even if she was already asleep. It would put his mind at ease.

When all the materials were out of the trucks he picked up his things and left with only a nod to Rick who clasped his shoulder as he walked by. Rick was family. He appreciated the casual touches even if he wasn't comfortable with them. Only one other person at the prison ever made a move to touch him and he was on his way to see her right now.

When he slipped into the room he immediately noticed her sitting anxiously on the couch. The two girls were asleep, deep asleep. They snored lightly.

He took his time, trying to calm his nerves, He toed off his boots and placed his crossbow gently on the floor next to the door. Next he took his knife out and placed it down too. He shrugged off his vest and ran a hand through his tangled hair. When he could avoid it no longer he approached her. She didn't move from her spot but he could hear her shift slightly as he came close.

Her hand grabbed for his and he let her lace her fingers between his with surprising accuracy in the dark room. These simple touches released the pressure of the day but they put a different kind of tension in him.

"I was worried." It was a simple thing but it meant everything to him. She had cared about whether or not she would see him again. He hadn't been alone in that fear.

"Nothing to worry about." He replied softly. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. It was sweet and even though he had done it of his own free will it made him feel things that he wasn't entirely prepared to feel.

"Nothing bad happened? You took much longer than I thought you would." He could hear the tension in her voice even feel it in the way her fingers gripped his.

"Just had to take the long way. Nothin' happened." Daryl assured her and he heard her let out a breath. He wished more than anything that he wasn't so confused when it came to her affection.

"Good. I'm glad." She said after a pause. Her voice was still tense and for the life of him he didn't know why. He wished he knew how women worked more intimately. All he had were stories from Glenn, Rick, and in the past Merle. That and his own observations.

"You shouldn't have waited up for me."

"I wouldn't have been able to sleep without seeing you and making sure you were okay." She replied tightly and he felt his heart jump in his chest.

"Well I am. You should sleep now." He wanted to know what to say to her. All he could think of was telling her to get rest. He didn't want her tired. Tired meant you made mistakes, mistakes meant you got yourself killed. Even so he was sure he sounded like a nagging parent.

"Daryl?" She asked and she dropped his hand. He heard her shuffle and fidget.

"Huh?"

"I'm glad you came back. It wouldn't be the same without you." Her words were like an antidote to all of his pent up tension. He knew she felt that way, he would be a fool not to know, but hearing her say it was something different entirely.

"Ain't exactly easy to kill a Dixon." He replied in what he hoped was a light hearted way.

"No I don't suppose it is." She agreed smoothly. "Still... I think maybe we would be lost without you."

He didn't miss the implication that she might not be talking about the prison group, but might instead be talking about her and those little girls, or even just her. He didn't miss it and he was effected by it just like everything she said. He was deeply affected by it and it scared him.

"Beth," He started, but she shushed him. Her hand reaching out again and landing on his upper arm.

"You need rest Daryl. We both do." It was an out. An opportunity for him to be comfortable with what had happened and retreat to deal with the implications at a later time. He was glad for it. He needed time to think about what he was going to do about Beth. He needed space to think about his feelings.

His skin burned where she touched him and he took that in and enjoyed it before it disappeared and her hand was removed from him again.

"You get the cot." She insisted and he knew there was no arguing, even if he wanted to, which he didn't. The idea of sleeping on the couch was awful to him. His muscles ached from the day's work and he was read for some sleep. So ready.

"Goodnight Beth," He whispered as he retreated from her side. She just settled into the couch and turned on her side. Maybe he wasn't the only one that was exhausted.

The next morning he awoke early. He had plans to check the fences before the sun was full risen. Beth was still sleeping. In the increasing light he could make out that she was tense. Her brow was furrowed and a frown was tight on her face. Probably a nightmare. He wondered if Beth's nightmares were filled with walkers or if they were filled with other things.

He didn't often have a night were he didn't have a horrible dream but they were almost never walker related. He had seen enough in his life to have plenty of fodder for nightmares without the undead walking around.

Maybe when he got back from checking on their defenses he would sit with the girls for breakfast. He knew Mika would be happy if he did. Maybe he could be the guy that he knew Beth deserved. Maybe he could at least try.

He felt _right_ with Beth. It was a feeling that he wasn't used to. Her affection came easily. Her understanding was astounding to him. The amount of pure kindness that she had in her made him feel that maybe she could counteract all the meanness that had been poured into him since he was a toddler.

Beth was like an antidote to a hurt. He wanted to experience that, all of it. He just wished he knew how to do that without being awkward and wrong about it.

If he wanted to do anything right it was this thing with Beth.


End file.
